Fund Afghans’ return and don’t blame us anymore, Ahsan tells US

GWADAR: Minister for Interior Ahsan Iqbal on Friday asked the US to sanction an economic package for repatriation of three million Afghan refugees living in Pakistan after which Islamabad could guarantee having no terrorist on its soil.

“The US withdrew and left us in the lurch, so now they should announce an economic package for the return of three million Afghan refugees to their homeland,” he said while speaking to reporters here.

“In the presence of three million Afghans living in the country, we cannot certify who among the Afghans are involved in terrorist activities. It’s time for the US to do more in partnership with other stakeholders otherwise if we remain engaged in blame game, terrorists will get benefit,” he said. Responding to a question about growing ties among the US, India and Israel, he agreed that new alignments were being made in the world. “We don’t need to be worried, as we also have other foreign policy options.

“We should settle all domestic issues and ensure political stability. Only peace and stability can take us forward instead of indulging in confrontation,” he added. He said the evidence collected so far indicated that some neighbors were making conspiracies against China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) because they were not happy with the new central position Pakistan was going to secure after new developments related to CPEC and opening up of Central Asia, South Asia and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

He said India should get rid of its narrow approach, as it would benefit the whole region. The minister said there was no special treatment to China on Gwadar port. Pakistan had signed the agreement with Singapore Port Authority more than a decade ago but could not induce investment for its development after which it was transferred to China Overseas Port Holding Company on same terms and conditions which had actualized the project development. Within a short span of five to six months, the Gwadar Business Center was built. He said Chinese companies were moving quickly for infrastructure development.