ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan has said that its continued cooperation with the United States is critical for promoting peace and security in the region and beyond.
While responding to a question at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad on Thursday that the US reportedly plans to review its policy towards Pakistan, the Foreign Office Spokesperson Nafees Zakariya said that Pakistan attaches great importance to its relations with the United States which are longstanding.
The spokesman said that we believe continued cooperation between the two Countries is critical for promoting peace and security in the region and beyond.
Nafees Zakaria said that Pakistan is carrying out operations against terrorists without any discrimination, adding that these operations are driven by the national interests. He said that Pakistan will not allow its land used against any other Country.
The foreign office spokesperson also said that Pakistan’s position on US drone strikes is very clear. He said that these attacks are counterproductive and amount to violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.
Moreover, he said that the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is visiting Islamabad on June 24 to discuss matters pertaining to peace and stability in Afghanistan. He said that during the visit, both the Countries will also review the bilateral relations.
Zakaria said that Pakistan, China and some other Countries are cooperating closely for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
When asked about the Afghan opposition to fencing along the border, the spokesperson noted that effective border management is necessary to stem cross border movement of terrorists and facilitate the movement of people and trade goods. In addition, he said that Pakistan is carrying out the fencing on its side of the border.
To a question, the spokesperson said that there had been visits from Pakistan to Afghanistan in the recent past including that of the parliamentary delegation.
The spokesperson said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani during their meeting at the sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit had also agreed to use the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) and bilateral channels to promote peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. He said that we will therefore welcome visits from Afghan side.
