Pak concerns on end-state in Afghanistan be addressed: Kerry

WASHINGTON: Chairman of Foreign Relations Committee, Senator John Kerry has said the United States must help address Pakistan's concerns about the end-state in Afghanistan as the international partners move towards a drawdown from the conflict-hit country.

"While we have been working closely with our Pakistani allies to address our common threats, ultimately, we must address Pakistani concerns about what the end-state in Afghanistan looks like," Senator Kerry said in a statement at the start of a hearing on Afghanistan.

The key Democratic lawmaker did not elaborate on Islamabad's concerns but Pakistani officials have repeatedly said they want a friendly government in Kabul and that they stand for a stable and peaceful neighbor in their west. Islamabad has affirmed its support for an Afghan-led reconciliation process in Afghanistan.

Pakistan also does not want India to have an influential presence on its western border and has often pointed to Indian role in stoking unrest in Balochistan province.

Testifying before the panel, former U.S. ambassador Ronald Neumann, made a reference to factors that shape Pakistani strategy toward Afghanistan and said these include "fear of India, including the ability of India to threaten it from Afghanistan. "The issue is likely to remain dominant in Pakistani strategic calculation".

Meanwhile, American experts say elimination of al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden has removed a major symbol of terror and is likely to significantly affect the future course in Afghanistan, where the U.S. spends billions of dollars every year.