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Wednesday, December 18, 2024  
16 Jumada Al-Akhirah 1446  

Afghanistan situation 'out of Pakistan's control' says Moeed

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf described the law and order situation in Afghanistan as "extremely bad and out...
Youths take pictures next to an Afghan flag on a hilltop overlooking Kabul in April. Reuters
Youths take pictures next to an Afghan flag on a hilltop overlooking Kabul in April. Reuters

National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf described the law and order situation in Afghanistan as "extremely bad and out of Pakistan's control".

Yusuf was speaking to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Friday when he warned of possible attacks by Tehreek-i-Taliban, who, he said, could enter Pakistan dressed as refugees.

Interestingly, he said reports of the presence of the Taliban in Pakistan at the moment was work of "Indian propaganda".

He said Pakistan will be impacted adversely by the unrest and civil war in Afghanistan, following US troops withdrawal earlier this month. He said regional peace was dependent on peace in Afghanistan.

He also said Kabul needed to work with Islamabad to ensure that peace.

He did not think the US government would offer any financial assistance to Afghanistan which meant that "only Pakistan can provide a trade route to the landlocked country," he said.

Foreign Minister's briefing Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi also briefed the committee, saying that Pakistan wasn't the only stakeholder in Afghanistan, a position he would maintain at a conference he plans to attend in Uzbekistan next week.

He blamed India for wanting to sabotage peace process in Afghanistan, adding that Pakistan would have to prepare for this. He said Pakistan wanted refugees to return to their own countries and is not in a position to handle an influx of refugees should civil war occur in Afghanistan.

He also said the committee would receive another briefing by the military before Eid.

He also debunked any talk of Pakistan being an isolated country.

"US State Department has termed Pakistan a 'helpful and constructive partner'," said Qureshi.

The minister added that while the US had set a deadline of August 31 for a full withdrawal of its troops in Afghanistan, it wanted to continue to work with Pakistan on broader counter-terrorism initiatives.

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Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Dr. Moeed Yousaf

Taliban