Pakistan doesn't want spoiler's role in Afghanistan: FO

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and sovereign Afghanistan, saying that the country does not want any spoiler’s role in the neighbouring country.

Addressing a weekly press conference, FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmed pointed out that Pakistan was constantly raising concerns over rising terrorism and cross-border attacks.

Speaking about the grand jirga in Afghanistan, the FO spokesman said that the purpose to involve tribal jirga in talks with banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was to establish peace in Afghanistan.

Asim Iftikhar noted that India has always played a spoiler role in Afghanistan. However, he said, Pakistan would continue to take steps in accordance with the constitution for peace in the region.

“Everyone is aware of India’s role in Afghanistan. We want our neighbouring country to be peaceful and free from negative role and we do not want to see the role of any spoiler here,” the spokesperson added.

In response to a question regarding the flow of Indian aid from Pakistan to Afghanistan, the spokesman said that the aid was allowed on humanitarian grounds as the Afghan people were facing a serious food crisis.

Earlier in April, Pakistan extended by two months the time for transportation of Indian wheat and lifesaving medicines to Afghanistan via Attari-Wagah border crossing on a humanitarian basis.

The Foreign Office spokesperson in a statement said that the extension manifests Islamabad’s sincere efforts towards addressing the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Pakistan had in November 2021 allowed, as a special gesture to the Afghan people, the transportation of 50,000 MTs of wheat and life-saving medicines as humanitarian assistance from India to Afghanistan via Wagah border on exceptional basis for humanitarian purposes.