ISLAMABAD – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday whilecongratulating the Taliban and the US leadership over Afghan peace dealurged all the parties to beware of the spoilers and not to let themovercome the peace process.
“We cannot neglect it. Spoilers are there, both in Afghanistan and outsideAfghanistan. All of you will have to keep strict vigilance on thosespoilers,” the foreign minister said addressing a press briefing after hisreturn from Doha where he represented Pakistan in the signing ceremony ofAfghan peace deal.
He told media persons that after the signing ceremony, he had interactedwith US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and had called for devising amechanism to identify and blame and shame the spoilers who would play anynegative role.
He said after the peace deal, it was test of the Afghan leadership aswhether they would show flexibility and take decisions beyond their owninterests.
He said the leadership coming from various countries had lauded Pakistan’sfacilitative role in the peace process even those who used to criticizePakistan in the past.
Qureshi said he also asked Pompeo to maintain the positive momentum to keepthe peace process moving through different confidence building measureslike the release of prisoners as had also been committed in the agreement.
He said the intra-Afghan dialogue should not be delayed unnecessarily tokeep the people’s hopes alive and that the political uncertainties shouldalso be addressed inside Afghanistan to not let it overcome the process.
Moreover, he said the United States would have to mobilize the support andresources for post-conflict reconstruction of Afghanistan and return ofrefugees from Pakistan.
He also briefed media about his meetings with the counterparts from CentralAsian States, Turkey, Norway and Secretary General of the ShanghaiCooperation Organization and stressed for enhancement of regionalconnectivity and trade cooperation.
To a question, the foreign minister said the release of prisoners waslogical as it was essential to take the process forward.
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He hoped that Ashraf Ghani would act prudently and not overlook theimportance of optics in this process.
He said Pakistan always wished well for the Afghan peace process but thebasic decisions would have to be made by the Afghans for the future oftheir country.
Asked about the US expectations from Pakistan, the foreign minister saidPakistan took decisions in its own interests as the country would be thenet beneficiary of Afghan peace deal that would enhance the bilateraleconomic activity besides paving way for completion of TAPI, CASA-1000 andother projects.
The foreign minister said he realized that the course of Afghan peace wasnot a smooth sailing rather there would be hiccups as were experienced toreach the stage of the peace deal.
He feared that some forces would impede the course but hoped that theinternational community would put in their efforts to overcome the negativeforces.
He said on its side, Pakistan had successfully dismantled the terroristnetworks, revived peace, merged the tribal areas into mainstream KP withrestoration of health and education facilities. He said fencing of theAfghan border was also in progress and after completion, Pakistan would beable to fight and keep vigilance on anti-state force more effectively.
To a question about the situation in Kashmir, he said the world’s mindsetwas changing towards what was happening in Indian Occupied Kashmir and theworld leaders and parliaments were speaking up and criticizing thesituation in the occupied valley as well as in New Delhi.
