Those sabotaging Pak-Afghan ties are not friends of Afghanistan: Maleeha

United Nations-Reaffirming its readiness to assist Afghanistan’s national reconciliation process, Pakistan has cautioned the Afghans that those attempting to sabotage and poison Pakistan -Afghan relations were not their friends.

The exchange arrangements should be a stage towards hotter relations and boosting Afghanistan-Pakistan exchange from $1.6 billion now to $5 billion by 2017. Reconciliation and dialogue, she said, has to be between the Afghans themselves.

Islamabad will seek decisive action by Kabul against the “terrorist sanctuaries” of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan after the deadly Badbher attack was traced back to the neighbouring country, officials familiar with the development said on Friday.

Ambassador Lodhi said while the external parties could play a role in facilitating Afghan reconciliation, they “cannot impose” a solution.

During his meeting with Mr Aziz in Kabul, President Ashraf Ghani had promised to respond to the offer for facilitating the resumption of the process after consulting his government allies and other political leaders.

Acting US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Jarrett Blanc had after the conclusion of his visit to Kabul and Islamabad earlier this week said that it was for the Taliban to decide whether or not they wanted to return to dialogue.

The foreign office said that Pakistan stands for reforms in the United Nations with consensus of all member states but opposed to the addition of new permanent members to the UN Security Council.

“But we were shocked when some in Afghanistan chose to lay the blame for escalating violence on Pakistan”, Ambassador Lodhi said in a serious tone. Those terrorists were responsible for hundreds of attacks against civilians and security targets in which over 64,000 have been killed, including innocent children at a Peshawar school.

“It will open the way for the ambitious plans for regional development and integration we have jointly worked on”, she said.

“Pakistan will convey to Afghanistan that it will no more tolerate such attacks emanating from its soil”, said an army official. “Mutual respect for each other’s interests and sensitivities must be the bedrock of future relationship”. She said that the first round of intra-Afghan talks was hosted in Murree on July 7, whose outcome was encouraging.