Shah Mahmood Qureshi says will continue to engage with US

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, talking in Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Saath’, on Wednesday said he agreed to continue to engage with the US in a meeting with his US counterpart, revealing that soon an important US personality will visit Pakistan.

The minister said the opponents of Pakistan in the US are active and we are well aware of them. He said the Republicans submitted a bill in the US Congress to build pressure on US President Joe Biden.

He said Prime Minister Imran Khan presented Pakistan’s viewpoint on the emerging situation in Afghanistan. Addressing the UNGA, the prime minister shed light on the issue in the backdrop of present Afghan situation, he added. He said the world must know the pivotal role of Pakistan in ending terrorism and the price it had to pay in exchange for cooperation with the West.

He said in the war against terror, Pakistan sacrificed 80,000 lives and suffered loss of $150 billion. He said Pakistan disbanded al-Qaeda and played a positive role in the Afghan peace process.

Qureshi further said the US is shocked by the fact that its 20-year advanced technology and resources were in vain. He said when Pakistan would say Ashraf Ghani government is fragile and does not enjoy people’s support, the US never heeded to this. They would say the US must withdraw its troops but in a responsible manner. He said had the US lent focus on our advice, today Afghanistan would not have faced plethora of issues.

The minister further said criticising Pakistan is a part of US internal politics. He said the anti-Biden administration in Congress views it a major opportunity to mount pressure on Biden. He said Pakistan cooperated with the US at every step, questioning if the Ashraf Ghani government surrendered how it becomes Pakistan’s responsibility.

He said besides India, some forces want to target and destabilise Pakistan and put the whole burden of the Afghan situation on Pakistan. He said he agreed to continue engagement with the US in the meeting with his US counterpart. He said in view of new realities, it is time to build new strategies. He also said that in near future, a high-profile US personality will visit Pakistan. He said not only Pakistan but all the regional countries are interested in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan continues to consult with all other stakeholders on the issue.

Meanwhile, Pakistan sent a clear message to Washington that its efforts at a proposed draft legislation measures against Pakistan are uncalled for and counterproductive.

Further, it stated that the US Senate’s “coercive approach” will not work and the only way to achieve long-term sustainable peace in Afghanistan is through engagement and dialogue.

The Foreign Office said that presently a debate is underway in Washington both in the media and on Capitol Hill to reflect on and examine the circumstances leading to the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. It pointed out that the draft legislation introduced in the US Senate by a group of Senate Republicans seems to be a reaction to this debate.

Spokesman at the Foreign Office was reacting to a proposed bill moved by 22 US senators to inquire in detail Pakistan’s role in helping the Taliban to sustain for 20 years and Pakistan’s alleged role in attack against resistance forces in Panjshir. The bill also proposed sanctions against foreign governments for support to the Taliban.

“The legislation includes references to Pakistan that are completely unwarranted. We find all such references inconsistent with the spirit of Pakistan-US cooperation on Afghanistan since 2001, including facilitation of the Afghan peace process and during the recent evacuations of American and other nationals from Afghanistan,” added the spokesman.

He said Pakistan was of the firm belief that sustained security cooperation between Pakistan and the United States would remain critical in dealing with any future terrorist threat in the region. Pakistan has consistently maintained that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.