ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan cautioned Afghanistan and India on Thursday to avoid taking steps that may affect regional stability after Kabul and New Delhi signed a wide-ranging strategic partnership agreement this week.
“It is the sovereign right of every country to promote the kind of bilateral relations they want. For us, the most significant thing is the importance we attach to regional stability, which should not be disrupted in any way,” foreign ministry spokesperson Tehmina Janjua told reporters here at a weekly news briefing. Some view the enhanced partnership between India and Afghanistan as part of coordinated efforts backed by the US to undermine Pakistan’s ‘pivotal’ role in the future political dispensation of Afghanistan.
Janjua said the Foreign Office was still studying the agreement signed between Afghanistan and India, in reply to a question about the possible ramifications for Pakistan.
The accord inked during Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to New Delhi materialised amidst Islamabad’s strained ties with both Washington and Kabul. Senior Afghan officials have upped the ante against Pakistan following the assassination of former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani. Kabul claimed that the suicide bomber, who killed Rabbani, was a Pakistani national and had connections with the Taliban’s Quetta Shura.
Some officials even pointed fingers at the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for masterminding the attack. But the foreign ministry spokesperson strongly rejected the charge urging Afghanistan to act responsibly and stop the blame game.
Janjua said there are regional complexities, which Pakistan is trying to address. “Others also need to have an objective appreciation of regional complexities,” she argued reflecting Pakistan’s position that the Haqqani network can be dealt with through dialogue.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 7th, 2011.
COMMENTS (29)
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@Ali: No it does not irk me. I read the whole of your post and find it hilarious. You guys would stop at nothing, coming up with conspiracy theories. If India and China progress and become super powers of tomorrow, you will come up with other excuses and pseudo-analysis :) It's time you concentrate on developing your country rather than wishing/plotting for other progressive countries to fail.
@Nate does my first paragraph irks you :D read the whole thing @TM Yes absolutely you estimates are absolutely correct and you should know now that there's a time for everything and why the west has everything planned again big superpower wannabees like India/China. Its a bitter pill which you Indians need to digest. I'm not asking any of you to believe me rather just wait and watch.
@Ali: Pakistan has done perfectly well we are on the right Path where the worst has passed for us and the only way from here is upwards not downwards. For India its only downwards from here. Once again, you will do well to stop making doom and gloom prophesies about India. Only time can tell what is in store. And, if you think Pakistan is on the right path... well, I am at loss of words. Either you are overly optimistic or our definition of right path are completely different. Good luck to you.
Sincerely!
@Ali,
Would you agree that the west has "allowed" of a considerable amount of wealth to go to China? Are you aware that in many large U.S. corporations, every other cubicle is filled by an Indian citizen? Are you aware that Indian-owned Tata is now the largest industrial employer in Britain, with 45,000 employees? India has 1 million applicants for a place in an engineering university curriculum. 1 in 10 gets a spot. Adjusting for population, I wonder if the numbers in Pakistan are even close...
If you really think India is similar to Pahlavi's Iran, you need to do more research. The Pahlavi government in Iran was much more like the current government of Saudi Arabia, Assad's Syria or Saddam's Iraq prior to his invasion of Kuwait - a dictatorial government held in place by secret police, military force and distributions of government aid. India appears to be a much more stable democracy than Pakistan, even if both have corruption problems. (And both substitute government aid for genuine improvements in living standards for the poor.)
Indian success story is going to go down just like Pahlavi's Iran. Do you really think they(the west) are going to allow the transfer of their considerable amount of their wealth to India when India has an attitude of that runs on prophecies of super power India just like Pahlavi had for Iran. You just have to have patience and resilience to deal with the West, Pakistan has done perfectly well we are on the right Path where the worst has passed for us and the only way from here is upwards not downwards. For India its only downwards from here.
You all will see for yourselves soon
@ashok sai: If agreement can reach with countries only then why America is in talk with Taliban and other insurgent groups in Afghanistan?????? Big Question. When same thing Pakistan do then everyone cry. America's Double standards.
@Ali: *hahaha my comments seems to have gotten alot of attention. * Mr. Ali, I cannot speak for others but I usually find your comments a little over the top and disconnected from the reality. And, what's with your unwarranted hateful attitude anyways?
It looks like you understand both Micro and Macro Economics perfectly well. How about putting this knowledge of yours to the betterment of your country rather than posting meaningless prophetic statements?
hahaha my comments seems to have gotten alot of attention. ITs pure and simple Indians find it hard to digest the truth. The truth shall prevail when anarchy is going to spread like wildfire within the next 2-4 years mark my words.
I don't hate ordinary Indians but India had chosen the wrong path which allowed them to grow to big too fast thus leaving its foundations weak which is going to lead India to the biggest disaster of Modern day politics.
@Antanu: Our constitution clearly states that India is a secular country and it is practiced all over India. Are we a perfect nation? Well, let's just say that we have to go far before we can claim that. Our chosen path is the right path though and will take us there.
On second thoughts, it's great to have people like yourself in our country who keep others honest. Cheers!
@Nate Gupta: we are not that secular...correct urself lady. Problem is that 5% of pak ills are repeated 95 times whereas 95% of indian ills are hardly repeated 5 times.
Afghanistan and India are conspiring with US and Israel to destroy Pakistan ? Can the FO please tell the people of PAK who are fairly intelligent how Afghan-India relationship is going to affect regional stability?
Foreign policy of PAK is egocentric- World should respect Pakistan. Pakistan should be involved in all Afghanistan affairs. India should be excluded in all Afghanistan affairs. After a while adults will start to ignore Child's tantrum.
If PAK has anything constructive to offer in the regional stability let her speak now. Otherwise just hold your peace and stability will be maintained.
@Ali: The problem with India and Indians is that they think they have become one of the Worlds Super Powers. Mr. Ali, a bit of an overstatement, don't you think? We do not think we have become a super power already. We are on our way to becoming one though. After all, we have chosen the right path of being a democratic, secular and a vibrant nation. We wish the same to you too!
Regionl Stbility is funny thing:
But
Must be something in the boots
@Ali: Pakis Play in Afghanistan? I think you got your play field wrong!
The problem with India and Indians is that they think they have become one of the Worlds Super Powers. Really India? a superpower? The world recognizes India as an emerging power only when it comes to business militarily it isn't worth jack.
India does not know how we Pakis play but they will soon realize after they step their foot in Afghanistan.
With love from Pakistan
@Zafar Khan. Afghanistan and Pakistan will both go up and shine, Inshallah.
With love from Pakistan.
@Asha: It is already in severe chaos. Everything has already failed. It is a question of time when Pakistan will use nuclear weapons. They do not want a stable Afghanistan since they want a certain type of Taliban at the helm that want to impose their own ways on the Afghan society and are the least flexible.
It is about time that we, the Pakistanis, should realize that we will go nowhere like this, we are stuck in some sort of dementia, stuck in different wars, different ethnic conflicts. We should realize that while we are stuck, the world is moving on, it will move on. Afghanistan will not be a warzone to be benefiting the Pakistani ‘warlords’ forever. India is a big economic power, it is the future, the whole world realizes it. It outgrew us a longtime ago. It is better instead of pulling other countries to our level we should move on to. Resolve our issues, countless issues. We are not known for anything other than a nation for and of terrorists. Please for God’s sake start focusing on our country, admit the fact that we are demented as a nation, suffering from mass hysteria. The first step is to accept that we are suffering from a disease, everything else comes later.
Agreement can be reached between countries, but not between a country and terrorists. But we have an army which has a country, so, anything possible. But army owned country should not expect to be treated as a sovereign nation among the international community, every action has a reaction after all.
@ Asha........Well you are damn rite. We don't need to be afraid of Indian in Afghanistan. Pakistan is a power in the state and balance of power is their......And as for as Islamic fundamentalist are concerned they are just the part of our society but i am sorry to state that "NOT THE DOMINANT". So they cannot be in power in Pakistan...!!!!!
The world respectfully recognizes and appreciates Pakistan's tremendous efforts and contribution to regional stability. Pakistani generals must be feeling very tired after decades of hard work trying to provide security, shared prosperity, growth and stability to its neighborhood. Now it is time for them to take some well-deserved rest. Pack your bags with some colorful printed shirts and shorts and go off to a holiday in Hawaii for some time. Let the Afghans also take a shot at creating their own stability.
@Zafar Khan: "Pakistan is going DOWN. Afghanistan is going to SHINE. Pashtoon Power." There is no need for anybody to go down. Pakistan is going nowhere. The situation in the region will be even more unstable if Pakistan breaks up. It is not in anybody's interest to see a nuclear-armed nation in chaos. It will only strengthen the hand of the Islamic fundamentalists.
Pakistan is going DOWN. Afghanistan is going to SHINE. Pashtoon Power.