ISLAMABAD – The Foreign Office on Thursday condemned the statement of Gen John W. Nicholson, the top United States commander in Afghanistan who claimed that the US was aware of Afghan Taliban leadership’s presence in Peshawar and Quetta.
FO spokesman Nafees Zakaria termed the statements ‘unnecessary and unacceptable’ and addressed several issues pertaining to the region and Pakistan’s foreign relations.
The Spokesman confirmed that no high-level contact was established between the US and Pakistan after the announcement of Trump’s Afghan policy.
‘Afghanistan’s war cannot be fought in Pakistan’ said the spokesman and added that Pakistan condemned terrorism incidents in its neighbouring country, Afghanistan.
Zakaria admitted that at the moment Pakistan’s foreign policy was facing multiple challenges, however, he also added that a conference of envoys under Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will be held from Sep 5-7.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/headline/trump-ratchets-up-pressure-on-pakistan-vows-not-to-quit-afghanistan/
The official also expressed concerns over human rights violations in the occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces.
‘Pakistan is concerned about the Indian forces taking under custody Hurriyat leaders’, Zakaria added.
Regarding the Hurricane Harvey, wrecking havoc in the US states Texas and Houston, the FO spokesman said that Pakistan Consul General was actively involved in relief and rescue activities in the affected areas.
‘Proud of the Pakistani community which is actively participating in relief activities’, said Zakaria.
It bears mentioning that after the announcement of a new policy for Afghanistan by US President Donald Trump, last week, Gen Nicholson said the US knows the Afghan Taliban leadership resides in Quetta and Peshawar.
According to Gen Nicolson, the matter of the alleged sanctuaries for terrorists was being addressed “in private” by the governments of US and Pakistan.
‘The Quetta shura, Peshawar shura — these shuras are identified by cities inside Pakistan; we know Afghan Taliban leaders are in these areas,’ said Gen Nicholson in the interview on Saturday. “Support for terrorists and insurgents has to be reduced — [it] has to be stopped.”
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/na-passes-joint-resolution-against-donald-trumps-afghan-policy/
The National Assembly through a unanimous resolution on Thursday rejected the statements of Donald Trump and refuted the presence of Afghan Taliban inside Pakistan.
