"Afghan soil will not be used against any country in the region," Rasool told Al Jazeera television when asked if Washington would be allowed to launch drone strikes against Pakistan after the troops' withdrawal.
US-operated drones have carried out deadly missile strikes against suspected al Qaeda targets in Pakistan since 2004, with attacks peaking in 2010.
"The presence of the remaining forces in Afghanistan is for training, equipping and securing Afghanistan's security. It has been mentioned, it is going to be mentioned, that this force is not for use against any neighbours in the region," Rasool told the Doha-based channel.
Rasool was in Qatar for talks over the opening of Taliban office in Doha.
COMMENTS (40)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1714222391-0/BeFunky-collage-(2)1714222391-0-270x192.webp)
1714129906-0/Clint-Eastwood-(1)1714129906-0-270x192.webp)
@Freeman: BTW I am from Lahore & Pakistani punjabi and please be realistic rather then sheer optimistic. Have u ever visit any religious sermon in which other sects are being declared as “wajib ul qatal”,have u ever talked with any Bloch in queeta…u can even observe anger from their face. What’s going on in interior sindh on the name of sindhu dash,Gilglit Baltistan in on fire…..do u still think that we need any other enemy??? Its time to be wake up and to do some soild things rather to assume that nothing will happen to Pakistan. There is heat in afghanistan and it will go against the pak in future..Thanks to Zia who made taliban and now they are ready to eat pakistan.
@Devin Leonard: Dear Devin, I do not recall the Afghans inviting the U.S. into Afghanistan. However, it is noticeable that you did not mention the morality of U.S. activity in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan needs the US more then we need Afghanistan. If we want to conduct drone strikes Afghanistan will allow it...they will have no choice. One does not say no to the world's most powerfull country and military:)
Actually this will depend a great deal on whether this POTUS serves a second term. Should he not, then the new POTUS might decide that 2014 is no longer a valid date.
@Kalchakra
Afghanistan is not a brother country to Pakistan never was never will be. Stop deluding yourselves, we have nothing in common with any of the ethnic groups in Pakistan including the Pashtuns.
So that means the afghan govt. will allow strikes BEFORE 2014 lol.
@AIN: You have every right to dream but i think you should check your own countrys mess and correct it. It might happen with your own country.
@kaalchakra: Pakistan does not need to use anyother territory to launch Attack on any neibhour. Pakistan is working with it neibhours and have good relationship with them Including IRAN, CHINA, AFGHANISTAN AND nOW INDIA. Aghanis know that America is not this regions country and one day they will return and go away and we have to have good relationship with the neibhours.
@Ayesha Khan: yOU MEAN Pakistani and Iranian security services will sit down and watch this happening and will do nothing????. When American will mess in this way in this region then USA will go more down and will lose everything. My dear they are trying this for the last 10 years still not successful. If it was easier thing to do then they would have done ages ago AND Gowader port would have fall in hand in America. Even American ships are in Arabian Sea they will never try to mess in the Regional powers including Pakistan. As soon as they will try they will lose their own position in this region and then war will not be limited and it will go global.
John
No one can say that Pakistan should not use Afghan land for launching attacks on other countries. Afghan is a brotherly country. Pakistan is free to use Afghan land for all purposes that are strategic to it - against Russia, Iran, India, or whoever else.
strong textemphasized text"No drone strikes in Pakistan after 2014, none at least launched from Afghanistan"
Yes there will be nodrone if there Pakistan will be left on the glob with its current map
If Afghanistan don't want Pakistan to use its soil against it now then why they are telling the world that they will not allow anyone to use their territory against Pakistan ONLY AFTER 2014. That means Pakistan should allow Taliban to use its terrotory against occupation forces till 2014. Why they want to allow USA to do what they don;t want us to do. DOUBLE STANDARD.
But still, there will be drone attacks taking place, probably launching from Chaklala airbase or from the newly built airfield in the US Embassy Islamabad.
If this is so and you are truly sincere and honest for your neighbor countries then why not now????????
2014??? Does Mr Rassoul know where he will be by then?
We need drones to stop the terrorists. Drones r very accurate n the only thing the terrorists r afraid of. Please don't stop them. Rather then feeling sorry fr the people who die in drone attacks, feel sorry for the people who die in bomb blasts.
That's not fair
as if there is gurantee 2014 america will go?
Please do NOT stop drone strikes in Pakistan - they must be increased to cover the inner cities as well where known extremists live in full knowledge of the authorities. The bottom line is our government tolerates terrorists and a large proportion of our public pampers them. As we are not willing to do the job ourselves we need to continue to outsource this activity. Pakistan will never be the land of the pure until we eradicate the mullah who preaches hate and teaches murder.
Don't worry, be happy: Drones can easily be launched from ships in the Arabian Sea.
He just said this in the nicest possible way - Till 2014 there might be drone strikes on Pakistan, which will be launched from Afghanistan.
@Cautious: Neither we will ask permission to bring hell's fury on indians. You know if we are doomed, we will take the enemy down too :)
@Cautious: "If things deteriorate in Afghanistan after 2014 (as expected) – then the USA isn’t going to ask your permission."
More likely scenario. If things deteriorate, in Pakistan and Afghanistan does not provide a base, then independent Balochistan will become a reaiity. The Gwadar port also would serve as away to bring in supplies.
I am not hoping or wishing this should happen but just foreseeing this as a realistic option for the Americans. A way that they can keep an oversight on Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan without having their soldeirs attacked.
afghans prove their mettle.. great to hear this. Compare this with spineless politicians and sleeping establishment here
This statement means precisely nothing for the innocent men, women and children of Pakistan who can still be killed, or sometimes worse incapacitated, by drones or other types of ordnance delivered from a variety of launch points. I have pointed out many times that the Americans use so called depleted nuclear weaponry in a variety of forms, so they will continue to pollute the Pakistan countryside and therefore make large parts of it unsuitable to live in. Of course it should be realized that wherever the nuclear pollution occurs it creates very fine particles, which will spread all over the country to be breathed in by everybody. I suppose it will be poetic justice that the military and our leaders will suffer from nuclear pollution in just the same way that we do.
Here is the irony 1 . PAK used her soil to launch operations against soviet with US aid. Now AFG is using her soil to launch operations against PAK with US aid and with US forces.
Irony 2: PAK used her soil to launch LeT against India. US and India have bounty on LeT head now.
Who said history is no fun ?
Does Mr. Rasool's statement have sanction of the Afghan parliament or president? There has certainly been no motion by either of them to limit US drone strikes now or post-2014. So is this Qatar statement just meant to say what Taliban want to hear in order to come to the negotiating table? I'm certain that if negotiations fail, all such promises will be off.
Now wait for statements from Pak leaders against Drone. And people to compare it with Nato supplies. All I can see in Pakistan is people oppose, condemn, deny, but no one has credible solution (non emotional) to solve the problem.
I hope the last drone is equipped with nuke to take out all terrorist institutions in Pakistan. Ah doesn't that mean whole Pakistan ?
After NATO pull out, Taliban will capture Afghanistan within weeks. As they don't have Drones, therefore no Drone stikes will be launched from Afghanistan.
I think then Pakistan will again have to offer its own bases again lol.
It is not up to Pakistan or Afghanistan to decide regarding the drone attack. Bottom line is that they are tool in restoring law and order in a global village and either you restore a law and order or global village will do it for you. It is up to pass the buck or accept that buck stop on my desk. It is not important from where they will be launed but they will be in your air spce.
If things deteriorate in Afghanistan after 2014 (as expected) - then the USA isn't going to ask your permission.
Wise move.
Afghanistan are neighbours bound by inextricable ties. It is time that we take care of our own region.
Paksitan should , on principle , not allow NATO supplies (unless the request is vociferously made directly by Afgan Govt). Similarly, Afganistan should not give santuaries to American and Indian sponsored miscreants and drone strikes .
great newsfor Pakistanies worldwide
Instead of drones, its will be missiles launched from ships stationed in the Arabian Sea , off the coast Karachi.
Drone strikes in Pakistan are not an issue for Afghans. Don't know the angle of this statement by Afghan foreign minister but I would not bank on it too much.
I salute u!, Afghans have more courage then Pakistan, shame on our so-called leaders and commanders u gave your own military bases to americans for carrying drone strikes on tribal areas which killed thousands of innocents and Muslims