Pakistan will not provide bases to US: PM

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said Pakistan would not allow the United States (US) to use its bases for cross-border military actions after American forces’ withdrawal from Afghanistan.

This he said in an interview with HBO Axios’ Jonathan Swan.

When asked if Islamabad would allow the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to conduct cross-border counter-terrorism missions in Afghanistan, he replied: “Absolutely not.”

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“There’s no way we are ever going to allow,” the premier stated in clear terms. “Any bases, any sort of action from Pakistani territory into Afghanistan, absolutely not.”

The United States has said it will withdrawal all its troops from Afghanistan on Sept. 11 after a two-decade presence.

In an interview earlier this month, Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan was pushing for a political settlement in Afghanistan before foreign troops leave later this year, to reduce the risk of civil war in its western neighbour.

“There is a lot of fear right now in Pakistan and I assure you that we are trying our level best that there is some sort of political settlement before the Americans leave,” Prime Minister told Reuters on Friday at his official residence in Islamabad.