Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations
Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi has told United Nations
Security Council that terrorist safe havens are inside, not
outside, Afghanistan. Relations between the two countries
have turned sour since Afghan President Ashraf Ghani
accused Pakistan of waging an “undeclared war of
aggression” against Afghanistan. Lodhi asserted at the
UNSC, was committed not to allow its territory to be used
for terrorism against other countries. Pakistan’s Zarb-i-
Azb and subsequent Raddul Fasaad military operations
had succeeded in eliminating all terrorist and militant
groups from its tribal territory bordering Afghanistan, she
said. Responding to critical remarks made by her Afghan
counterpart during the debate, she said: “As a country that
continues to host over two million Afghan refugees,
Pakistan expects gratitude and not hostility from the
Afghan government.†The main thrust of Ambassdor
Lodhi’s arguments centred around the need for a
negotiated end to the Afghan war. She said that it had
been Pakistan’s consistent position that peace could be
restored only through a negotiated settlement between
Kabul and the Tehrik-i- Taliban Afghanistan.
Continued reliance on a military option, or enhancing
troop numbers without an accompanying political
strategy, would only lead to more violence and bloodshed,
Ambassador Lodhi told the Security Council.
Stressing the need to find a negotiated solution, she said
that Pakistan has done whatever it can to help facilitate
such a negotiated settlement. She referred in this regard to
the 2015 Murree talks and efforts under the Quadrilateral
Coordination Group framework. She also recalled
Pakistan's engagement with the Heart of Asia conference,
the International Contact Group, the Moscow Format,
and, most recently, the Kabul process, among others.
However, she made it clear that while others could help
by promoting a negotiated settlement, peace could only be
negotiated when Afghan parties desired it and eschewed a
military solution. It is being reported in media that US
President Donald Trump's administration appears ready to
harden its approach toward Pakistan. Potential Trump
administration responses being discussed include
expanding US drone strikes, redirecting or withholding
some aid to Pakistan and perhaps eventually downgrading
Pakistan's status as a major non-NATO ally, the officials
said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Some US
officials, however, are sceptical of the prospects for
success and that already strengthening US ties to India,
Pakistan’s arch-enemy, undermine chances of a
breakthrough with Islamabad. Any US decision to harden
its approach toward Pakistan regarding Afghanistan and
rapture of ties between both countries will not be helpful
for the regional peace and stability. Pakistan has taken
indiscriminate action against terrorists and it is fully
resolved to eliminate this menace from its soil. Pakistan
has been constantly reiterated that it will not allow
anybody to use its land against any country. On the other
hand United States and Afghanistan are not cooperating
with Pakistan to tackle this challenge. Maleeha Lodhi has
rightly pointed out that terrorist safe heavens are existed
inside Afghanistan and now ISIS is making its foothold
there. Sixteen years operation led by US has failed to
produce peace and stability in Afghanistan and now it
wants to shift burden of failure to Pakistan. Afghan
president has not control in its country and he is issuing
hostile statements against Pakistan instead putting its
house in order. All stakeholders need to extend sincere cooperation to fix Afghanistan problem.
