Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations has deplored the allegations levelled by Afghan and Indian diplomats that terrorists use its territory as a safe haven.
Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Munir Akram told a news conference in New York that Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan has been fenced and there is no free flow of people. He said that Pakistan would never allow its soil to be used to destabilise Afghanistan. Pakistan expects the same from Afghanistan, he said.
Ambassador Munir Akram criticised India, the council president for the month of August, for denying Pakistan an opportunity to address the Security Council as a neighbouring country with a direct stake in peace in Afghanistan.
He said that Pakistan was especially concerned at the support being provided to the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Jamat ul Ahrar by a third country.
Ambassador Akram slammed the regional “spoilers” who he said were attempting to derail the Afghan peace process that Pakistan had facilitated.
He warned spoilers, “both within and outside Afghanistan”, against their machinations to promote their vested interests.
The Pakistani envoy said Prime Minister Imran Khan has consistently called for a political solution as the only way to restore a durable peace and security in Afghanistan. He said that Pakistan made earnest efforts to promote such a political settlement.
Munir Akram said, “We strongly believe that any military takeover or imposition by force of a government in Afghanistan will further aggravate and prolong the conflict.”
