Afghanistan needs political solution: Aizaz

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has relayed a clear message to the Taliban to participate in talks with the elected government in Kabul and offered full support to the US to bring peace to the war-torn country.

“Our message to the Taliban is clear: go ahead and participate in the process of reconciliation with the Afghan government. We don’t want bloodshed in Afghanistan, nor we want our land to be used against anyone,” Pakistan’s new ambassador to the US Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said on Friday.

However, Chaudhry said the Afghan government should also move forward and seek a political solution to end violence in the country.

He said the US military command was aware of Pakistan’s cooperation in its Afghan operations and Islamabad would continue to support the American efforts to bring lasting peace in Afghanistan.

In his first interaction with the Pakistani journalists based in Washington, Aizaz said he had clear instructions from the leadership to strengthen ties with the US and update the congressmen and the US administration on the real change in Pakistan.

Aizaz, who served as Pakistan’s foreign secretary prior to his appointment here, says today’s Pakistan has changed as the country is winning the war against terrorism and moving towards economic prosperity.

“Zarb-e-Azb has achieved a resounding success. The tribal areas have been cleared of terrorist hideouts. The temporarily displaced people (TDPs) have returned to their homes and Fata is now being mainstreamed to the political governance of the country,” he said.

He said several high officials, including from the US, had visited and witnessed for themselves the gains of peace and security in Pakistan.

The ambassador further informed the journalists that the recent initiative to reach out to the Afghan government, which led to a meeting between Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs and Afghan National Security Adviser in London, was an important step in the direction aiming at close coordination and cooperation between the two governments.

“It is in the common interest of both nations to stop cross-border movement of terrorists,” he said, adding that Pakistan suffers greatly as a result of instability in neighbouring country, so Islamabad sincerely wants to see a peaceful, independent and prosperous Afghanistan.

Pakistan believes the two governments should cooperate to stop the cross-border movement of terrorists.

He underscored the importance of effective border management, which is in common interest of both Afghanistan and Pakistan.

To a question about efforts of some think tanks to create misunderstanding between Islamabad and Washington, the ambassador said people and leadership in the US want strong and friendly relations with Pakistan and a few people who are engaged in negative propaganda against the country are irrelevant.

He said Pakistan and the US had a historic and multi-faceted relationship spanning over seven decades.

Pakistan, he said, was looking forward to working closely with the new US administration in order to further strengthen the bilateral relations and to bring people from both the countries closer to each other.

Aizaz said the improved security situation and economic reforms had led to revival of economy, which was now growing at the rate of 4.7 percent.

“All economic indicators are pointing upwards. Energy deficit will soon be a matter of the past. The resurgence of economy was attracting investors from all over the world,” he said.

To another question, he said Pakistan wants good ties with the US, China, Russia and all neighbouring countries.

To another question, he said Pakistan and US had difference of opinion on the issue of CIA spy Shakil Afridi, who was currently jailed in Pakistan for violating the country’s law.

Spelling out his priorities, Ambassador Chaudhry said it was his mission to strengthen Pakistan’s relations with the US and win friends for Pakistan in American polity. He said it was important for the world to see the positive constructive reality of today’s Pakistan.

Underlining the important role that the Pakistani American community is playing in the US, Ambassador Chaudhry stated that in line with the directions of the leadership, it would be his top priority to serve the community and address their issues and interests with missionary zeal.