Pakistani soil not being used against Afghanistan: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Monday said that Pakistani soil is not being used against Afghanistan and a similar action should be reciprocated by the neighbours, ARY NEWS reported.

In a message from his Twitter handle, Fawad Chaudhry said that they are keeping an eye on the evolving situation in Afghanistan and are trying to move forward with a peaceful, and elected government in Kabul.

“If it didn’t happen, even then we will not allow its ramifications to affect Pakistan,” he said in a series of messages on Twitter and added their Afghan policy is based on the interest of Pakistan.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has already clarified that Pakistan will be a partner in peace not in conflict.

“Our soil is not being used against Afghanistan and we hope that their land will also not be used against Pakistan,” he said adding that all parliamentary groups have agreed on the principle of non-interference in the affairs of the neighbouring country.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taliban officials said on Friday they have taken control of 85% of the territory in Afghanistan, and international concern mounted over problems getting medicines and supplies into the country.

Afghan government officials dismissed the assertion that the Taliban controlled most of the country as part of a propaganda campaign launched as foreign forces, including the United States, withdraw after almost 20 years of fighting.

But local Afghan officials said Taliban fighters have captured an important district in Herat province.

Torghundi, a northern town on the border with Turkmenistan, had also been captured by the Taliban overnight, Afghan and Taliban officials said.

Hundreds of Afghan security personnel and refugees continued to flee across the border into neighbouring Iran and Tajikistan.