ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced its concerns that there should be no negative implications for it from the US-Afghan security pact, the Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry told Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
While giving briefing to the committee about the status of peace and reconciliation process and emerging situation in Afghanistan in the wake of drawdown of US forces from Afghanistan in 2014, Chaudhry said with the drawdown of the US and ISAF forces from Afghanistan in 2014, there will be a process of transition in Afghanistan.
The foreign secretary stressed that there should not be political vacuum in Afghanistan in 2014 as it could cause political instability in the country.
“Pakistan has extended full support to the process of reconciliation in Afghanistan by creating an enabling environment so that Afghans can determine their own destiny,” foreign secretary said.
Chaudhry said that on the request of Afghan government, Pakistan freed Afghan detainees including Mullah Baradar, adding that Afghanistan’s members of High Peace Council then met and held talks with Mullah Baradar.
In reply to a question raised by Senator Syeda Sughra Imam about Afghanistan’s influence on Pakistani Taliban, the foreign secretary said “We have stated that anti-Pakistan elements should not be given sanctuaries in Afghanistan.”
