ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: A total of $1.9 billion have so far been spent on the military operation Zarb-e-Azb in the tribal region and return of the Temporary Displaced Persons (TDPs), the Foreign Office said on Friday.
In his weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Friday, the Foreign Office Spokesman Qazi Khalilullah said that Pakistan has met these expenditures from its own resources.
The spokesman said that the Coalition Support Fund (CSF) is reimbursement of the expenditures Pakistan incurred before the start of the operation Zarb-e-Azb. He said that talks with the US authorities for the release of this fund are underway.
Moreover, he said that the operation Zarb-e-Azb has met with resounding success and actions have been taken against all terrorists without any discrimination.
“There is no distinction between good and bad terrorists,” he said.
Pakistan committed to promoting peace
The foreign office spokesman said that Pakistan is committed to promoting peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan for the best interest of the two countries as well as the region.
“Pakistan fully supports Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process,” Qazi Khalilullah said adding that it is up to Afghanistan to take next step in this regard and Pakistan remains ready to facilitate.
Meanwhile, the Advisor on Foreign Affairs and National Security Sartaj Aziz who is in Kabul on an official visit held meetings with the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and discussed bilateral relations and the regional situation.
The advisor also met with the Afghan National Security Advisor Muhammad Hanif Atmar in Kabul and exchanged views on security issues and overall situation of the region.
Sartaj Aziz also attended the 6th Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan in Kabul.
Qazi Khalilullah said that Sartaj Aziz in his meetings with the Afghan leadership will raise Pakistan’s concerns relating to security of Pakistani embassy’s officials in the prevailing charged anti-Pakistan atmosphere in Afghanistan.
The advisor will also stress the need to stop anti-Pakistan campaign that has been visible for some time in Afghanistan as it will be counter-productive and will not serve the interests of the people of the two countries, the spokesman said.
