$1.9 bn spent on Zarb-e-Azb so far: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has spent $1.9 billion on the Operation Zarb-e-Azb and return of Temporarily Dislocated Persons from its own resources, said the spokesman at the Foreign Office (FO) on Friday.
“During the adviser’s meetings with the leadership of Afghanistan, all issues of mutual interest and concern will be discussed by the two sides. As far as success of the Operation Zarb-e-Azb is concerned, we have been talking about it at various forums. We have also been sharing the impact of the operation with the Afghan side during the bilateral meetings.
“During his meetings with Afghan leaders, Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz will convey the following: (i) Good wishes from the people and the leadership of Pakistan to the people and the leadership of Afghanistan; (ii) Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining friendly, brotherly and good neighbourly relations with Afghanistan; (iii) Need to stop the anti-Pakistan campaign that has been visible for some time now at various levels in Afghanistan, as it was counterproductive and did not serve the best interests of the peoples of the two countries; (iv) Pakistan’s concerns relating to security of its embassy personnel under the prevailing charged anti-Pakistan atmosphere in Afghanistan; and (iv) Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process,” the spokesman said at the weekly media briefing.
Aziz is in Kabul where he has addressed the ministerial meeting of the sixth edition of Regional Economic Conference on Afghanistan (RECCA). He is scheduled to meet Afghan leaders during his stay there.