Reaction: Pakistan welcomes US-Afghan deal

Adviser to PM Sartaj Aziz says experts believe 'this [agreement] will provide a protective shield to Afghan forces'

Pakistan has welcomed the bilateral security agreement between the US and Afghanistan, saying that it would help in providing the new Afghan government with economic and military resources.

Talking to the BBC Urdu, Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan has always regarded it as an issue which concerns Afghanistan and the United States.

He said experts believe “this [agreement] will provide a protective shield to the Afghan forces”.

“The US and Nato force will stay for training and protection of the Afghan forces. Analysts believe that more than 300,000 Afghan security troops need help and the presence of US and Nato troop will be very helpful,” he added.

Another important thing is that Afghanistan would get security and economic resources it needs, Sartaj said and termed the maiden speech of the new Afghan president ‘very positive’. “The Afghan president has issued a policy statement that he will not let his territory be used against Pakistan or any other country and this is also Pakistan’s stance,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2014.