US hinted at UNSC nod for Taliban deal, Qureshi tells Senate

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday told the Senate that the US hinted at presenting its peace deal with the Taliban in the United Nations

Security Council for endorsement as he cautioned that Pakistan is “not a guarantor, rather we are facilitator” in the nascent peace process.

“Our role has always been and will always be that of a facilitator,” he said, while giving a policy statement in the Senate on the peace agreement signed in Doha on February 29. He also stressed that the United States had hinted that its peace deal “would not be a mere piece of paper, but would be presented in United Nations Security Council for endorsement”.

He said Pakistan was never a part of the deal. He said it was totally inappropriate to place all the responsibility on Pakistan and we could not take all the responsibility for peace in Afghanistan. “This is a shared responsibility and all stakeholders will have to play their role in this regard,” he said.

Qureshi said many powers, interests and motives were involved and now the true test for the Afghan leadership had begun. “Can they rise to the occasion and chart a peaceful way forward or not? Only time will tell,” he said.

The foreign minister said the peace deal signed in Doha was a “first major step” and the next step was intra-Afghan dialogue. “This opportunity should not be missed and both sides should move forward while demonstrating flexibility in order to get desirable results,” he said. Qureshi said this process “would not be easy at all” but Afghanistan and its people would suffer if it failed. He added that the two-decade war did not give anything to the Afghan people as war was “not a solution to any problem”.

The foreign minister said Pakistan had played the role of facilitator between Afghanistan and the US over the peace pact. “We are not guarantor, rather we are facilitator,” he added. “[The] people of Afghanistan have the desire for peace and their leaderships will have to come up to the expectations of people,” he added.

He maintained that Pakistan wanted a peaceful and stable Afghanistan and “we have political and economic relations with Afghanistan”. “Pakistan played its role which was also appreciated by the world community,” he added.

Qureshi said the agreement was a “test case” for the Afghan leadership as well as all the other groups on whether they move forward or resort to the same intransigence. He went on to say that the swap of prisoners and withdrawal of the US and allied forces were also part of the deal, in addition to assurances to not allow using Afghan soil against the US and its allies. He said under the agreement, Afghanistan’s land would not be used against any country.

According to the deal, major forces’ withdrawal would take place in 135 days while the process of complete withdrawal would require nine months, he said. He added that funding to militant groups operating in any county would also not be allowed.

Qureshi said the Afghan leadership had also been assured that development in Afghanistan would be ensured. “Durable peace in Afghanistan would not only be beneficial for the Pakistan but also for the region and the whole world,” he added. The peace deal would also help enhance Pak-Afghan bilateral trade, regional connectivity and economic activities, he said. “Execution of longstanding CASA-1000 and TAPI projects would also materialised,” he added.

The foreign minister expressed the hope that Afghan soil would not be used against Pakistan. “It was unfortunate that in past the Afghanistan soil was used against Pakistan,” he said adding: “We do not want any role of India in Afghanistan.”

“Seeking parliament guidance, the foreign minister said: “Parliament can guide the government regarding the peace deal as it is a joint issue and we need to show unity.”

He also apprised the lawmakers of the point of views of the present Afghan leadership regarding the peace agreement. Later the House was prorogued sine die and the chairman read the prorogation order signed by the president.