Pakistan ‘only facilitator, not guarantor’ of Afghan talks: ISPR

By News Desk

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan military spokesperson Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar said on Saturday the Afghan peace process had many aspects where it should be understood Pakistan was only a facilitator and not a guarantor in the process.

The mainstay of resolution to the matter was on different factions of Afghans who would have to decide the future course of the issue, said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar in an interview to a private TV channel.

He said the peace process was at a critical stage as far as Pakistan was concerned, adding it took efforts to take the peace process seriously with the core vision of Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

“In past 20 years, US Army trained Afghan National Army that has strength, capability and its own Air force with presence on ground,” he said, adding the Afghan National Army was trained, equipped and had special and air forces.

The DG ISPR said: “Trillions of dollars have been spent on them and as a professional soldier I believe that they should be able to fight this onslaught as a professional force.”

Maj-Gen Iftikhar added they had the capacity and despite that they did not withstand then its reasons to be guided through internal dynamics and on ground complexities. The DG ISPR added: “We needed to understand that it would be Afghans own decision and would not be dictated by any foreign party.” Responding to another query, he said the US had withdrawn and their allied forces had left and would completely leave by August 31. The stakeholders in the region would have to decide the issue in consultation with Afghan leadership, he added.

He said the counter strategy was long discussed and the world had observed Pakistan had taken the peace process very sincerely. “Pakistan has no favourites among Afghan stakeholders. The decisions to be taken by Afghans and they have to decide their leadership in case of any deadlock we can assist. Pakistan has made all out efforts and could not exceed limits. Afghans have the capacity and capability to decide their future course themselves,” he said.

The ISPR DG was of the view that the gun (force) was not the solution to resolve Afghan crisis as through gun it could not be decided since the past two decades and it was not an option in the future.

Referring to the armed conflict taking place in Afghanistan among Taliban and Afghan forces, he said that was just a phase and a decision could be made only through dialogue. He said Pak-Afghan Border security and management had been beefed up and 2611km stretch of the border was 90 per cent fenced whereas the leftovers were either high altitude or glaciated places. However, forts were built with proper mechanisms and Frontier Corps’ (FC) new wings developed to manage the posts, he added.

The spillover effect after the civil war might have come to Pakistan that had come earlier and Pakistan was very well aware of that and took many measures to cope with the situation, the DG ISPR said.

“Daesh and TTP groups are based in Afghanistan and attacking Pakistan’s armed forces whereas we bore casualties during border fencing,” he informed. Maj-Gen Iftikhar said the mechanism for Afghan border fencing was good and the armed forces were very well prepared, adding: “God Willing, we should be able to take care of this situation.”

Replying to another query on impending Afghan refugee influx in case of any civil war, he said the interior ministry had made contingency planning to manage refugee inflow in case of violence whereas the international community and regional stakeholders would have to decide the Afghan issue.

He noted Pakistan’s approach was very clear as it remained committed to never let its soil to be used against anybody. Unfortunately, there had been no serious effort made by the international and Afghan forces to make air-tight control to contain terrorist activities against Pakistan, he noted.

He maintained the responsible withdrawal meant a meaningful exodus of the US forces after a complete transition which was the demand of all stakeholders.

Indian investment in Afghanistan was aimed at establishing its influence to damage Pakistan’s interests, but there was now huge frustration on Indian side as their investment seemed to be “sinking”.

India’s all focus was towards damaging Pakistan and it had moved its spoilers in different directions to blame Pakistan for the unrest in Afghanistan whereas the world had realised Pakistan made earnest efforts to resolve Afghan issue as per local people’s aspirations, he added.

The DG ISPR said Indian propaganda would not get any traction whatever propaganda level they were going to apply.