Pakistan can only advise, not dictate Taliban: Fawad

BADIN: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry Friday said Pakistan could not dictate Afghan Taliban, but only advise them on formulation of an inclusive government.“Pakistan wants peace and stability in Afghanistan. Prime Minister Imran Khan, earlier in his speech in Bajaur, had advised former president Ashraf Ghani to formulate a government based on consensus instead of holding elections. And now we have the same advice for the Taliban,” he said in an interaction with the office bearers of Badin Press Club.

Flanked said Taliban sat on negotiation table with the United States due to Pakistan’s efforts, but unfortunately, former president Ashraf Ghani did not show any interest in negotiating with the Taliban. For boosting trade from Peshawar to Mazar-e-Sharif and Tashkent through trains and to reach Central Asian States via Afghanistan through trucks, peace and stability in the neighbouring country was crucial, he said while pointing out Pakistan’s desire to link China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with the European Union (EU). Such steps, which would further boost economic activity in the region, could only become possible with stability in Afghanistan, he added.

About the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA), he ruled out possibility of compromising on the journalists'' rights and fake news. Other than that, the government would welcome any amendment in PMDA draft, he added.

The minister said the Sindh government received a substantial share from the Federation in the name of Badin and Ghotki’s gas royalty, while the Centre had also given an amount of Rs1,900 billion to the province in previous years.