Islamabad, Jan. 2 (TNS): The National Security Committee has expressed deep disappointment in connection with the recent statements articulated by the American leadership regarding Pakistan.
It was expressed during the seventeenth meeting of the National Security Committee chaired by Prime Minister Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi in Islamabad on Tuesday.
The meeting reviewed the emerging strategic situation in the region and beyond.
The Committee observed that the close interaction with the US leadership following the initial pronouncement of President Trump’s policy on South Asia had been useful in creating a better understanding of each other’s perspectives on the best way forward to achieve durable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The visits of Secretary Tillerson and Secretary Mattis were also seen by the Committee as robust and forward-looking.
The Committee observed that given this positive direction of progression, recent statements and articulation by the American leadership were completely incomprehensible as they contradicted facts manifestly, struck with great insensitivity at the trust between two nations.
The participants noted that over the past several years, Pakistan’s counter terrorism campaign has served as a bulwark against possible expansion of scores of terrorist organizations currently present in Afghanistan – a fact acknowledged by US authorities at the highest levels.
Most of these terrorists have repeatedly launched cross border attacks against innocent Pakistanis with impunity by exploiting presence of millions of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, a porous Pak-Afghan border and large tracts of ungoverned spaces inside Afghanistan.
The Committee observed that Pakistan has fought the war against terrorism primarily out of its own resources and at a great cost to its economy, and that even more importantly the huge sacrifices made by Pakistan, including the loss of tens of thousands of lives of Pakistani civilians and security personnel.
The Committee further observed that even today Pakistan is firmly supporting the US-led international effort in Afghanistan.
The meeting observed that political infighting, corruption, drug production and expansion of ungoverned spaces inside Afghanistan full of sanctuaries for multiple international terrorist organisations are posing a serious and direct threat to Afghanistan, its neighbours and the entire region.
The Committee noted that Pakistan cannot be held responsible for the collective failure in Afghanistan and that blaming allies certainly does not serve the shared objective of achieving lasting peace in Afghanistan and the region.
It reached a consensus that despite all unwarranted allegations, Pakistan cannot act in haste and will remain committed to playing a constructive role towards an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
The Committee reaffirmed that Pakistanis are capable of defending their country, counter terrorism and to work for regional peace and stability.
