Afghan soldiers sell US weapons to Taliban: Asif

SIALKOT: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said on Sunday that Afghan soldiers used to sell US weapons to Taliban.

Forty percent of Afghan land is still under the control of Taliban, the federal minister said while speaking to Geo News.

He said over 90 percent attacks on Pakistan had been carried out from Afghan side.

Asif advised the US not to blame Islamabad for their failures over the last 16 years.

Peace, which is also in our interest, may be restored in Afghanistan, said Asif, who is scheduled to embark on a three-nation regional tour from next week for consultations on the new American policy for Afghanistan and South Asia.

We had suffered colossal losses after becoming US ally, however, we intend to maintain ties with Washington to remove misunderstanding, the foreign minister said.

Calling upon the US to find solution to Afghan issue, Asif sought assistance from Washington in fencing border with Afghanistan, saying Kabul has even failed to setup checkposts along with its 650 kilometers long border.

In case the US lacks trust in Islamabad, it should arrange repatriation of millions of Afghan refugees, who have been living in Pakistan for decades, first fleeing over the border after the Soviet invasion of 1979, Asif said.

Speaking about Pakistan’s efforts for peace, he said that about 200,000 troops were engaged to deal with terrorism.