Afghan envoy summoned: Pakistan concerned over ‘blame game’

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Wednesday expressed deep concern over the recent spate of allegations from Afghanistan against its security establishment, warning that the blame game could undermine efforts to improve ties.

The Foreign Office summoned Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai to convey to him that such allegations “undercut mutual confidence and affect the environment of bilateral relations that both countries have been working hard to improve.” The move came after Afghan leadership in recent weeks pointed fingers at Pakistan’s security establishment for orchestrating recent attacks in the war-torn country.

According to an official statement, Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry informed the envoy that Pakistan had been acting with maximum restraint. “A strong protest was also lodged on cross-border violations from the Afghan side on the 16th and 17th of August, which resulted in the martyrdom of three FC personnel and injuries to two others.”

Mosazai was told that, as a matter of policy, Pakistani authorities did not initiate fire and returned fire only in self-defence.

The Foreign Secretary further said that Pakistan would continue its policy of restraint and responsibility, and constructive engagement with Afghanistan. “We expect that the Afghan government would also reciprocate by taking effective measures to obviate recurrence of such incidents on the border.”

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2015.