Pakistan doesn't allow use of territory against any country: FO
Non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary obstacle to peace and stability in the region, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement following Trump's policy speech
August 23, 2017
The Foreign Office (FO) released a statement after United States President Donald Trump announced his strategy for the region on Tuesday, harshly criticising Pakistan for providing a safe haven to "agents of chaos".
The FO statement reiterated that “No country in the world has done more than Pakistan to counter the menace of terrorism. No country in the world has suffered more than Pakistan from the scourge of terrorism, often perpetrated from outside our borders”.
The statement expressed disappointment at the US policy statement ignoring “the enormous sacrifices rendered by the Pakistani nation in this effort”.
The FO reaffirmed that Pakistan has been and will continue to be part of the global counter terrorism efforts and that the US and Pakistan are close allies in the fight against terrorism, which is a common threat for all nations of the world.
The statement rebutted accusations of providing a safe haven to terrorists, saying that “as a matter of policy, Pakistan does not allow use of its territory against any country. Instead of relying on the false narrative of safe havens, the US needs to work with Pakistan to eradicate terrorism”.
“The threat to peace and security cannot be isolated from the complex interplay of geopolitics, continued existence of festering disputes and pursuit of hegemonic policies. Non-resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute remains the primary obstacle to peace and stability in the region,” it added.
The statement concluded that “Pakistan reiterates its view that there is no exclusive military solution to the crisis in Afghanistan. The military action during the last 17 years has not brought peace to Afghanistan, and it is not likely to do so in the future. Only an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned politically negotiated solution can lead to sustainable peace in Afghanistan.
Pakistan is committed to working with the international community towards the common objective of defeating the forces of terrorism and to promote peace and stability in the South Asian region”.
The discussion on Trump's strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia was discussed in a federal cabinet meeting on Tuesday. A detailed discussion on the matter and a "comprehensive policy statement" will be held in the meeting of the National Security Committee on 24 August 2017, the statement added further.
