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Imran wants open border with Afghanistan
Islamabad - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that it was his dream to see an open border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He was talking to Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Umer Daudzai, who called on him at his residence. Imran said that in the past Pakistani regimes backed different Afghan groups instead of simply supporting what was good for the Afghans. The PTI chairman hoped that the future would tie up both countries in exemplary ties. Daudzai told Imran that how different agreements were imposed on the Afghans throughout history since the Soviet invasion, including the arrival of US and NATO forces. He said that Afghanistan was not even represented in the resolutions presented in the UNSC about the country.
Successive Pak regimes backed Afghan groups: Imran Khan
Mumtaz Alvi
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
2
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan conceded in a meeting with Afghan Ambassador Muhammad Umar Daudzai that successive governments in Pakistan had backed different Afghan groups instead of supporting what was good for the people of Afghanistan.
The Afghan ambassador called on Imran Khan here at his residence on Tuesday. The PTI chairman hoped that the two countries would now move forward and achieve good results through dialogue and consultation.
Imran said he had a dream to see an open border between a friendly and peaceful Pakistan and Afghanistan. Daudzai described how different agreements were imposed on the Afghans since the Soviet invasion and the arrival of US and Nato forces afterwards. Afghanistan, he said, was not even represented in UNSC resolutions on Isaf. He felt that this situation would continue for at least four more years.
However, the Afghan ambassador said, his country had been investing very heavily in human development including higher education. He said Afghanistan today was a different Afghanistan from 2001 but there was no awareness of the changed Afghanistan in Pakistan.
Imran Khan expressed hope that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would not see a repeat of the agony of 1989 and civil war. The ambassador explained why this would not happen. But he conceded that Imran’s concerns were genuine.
Both also discussed the new thinking within the Taliban, who were more accommodating. The different types of Taliban were also discussed.
Imran Khan emphasised that Pakistan and Afghanistan should have a relationship free of the excess baggage of the past and of India, although the latter factor, he noted, could not be ignored.
The ambassador explained that the forthcoming visit of President Karzai to Pakistan would be different from his past visits. “Afghanistan wants to establish a relationship with Pakistan that is free from any other power, as they have done with Iran. But this has to be done by taking the whole country in confidence, not just the government,” he said.
Imran wants open border with Afghanistan
Islamabad - Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan said on Tuesday that it was his dream to see an open border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He was talking to Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Umer Daudzai, who called on him at his residence. Imran said that in the past Pakistani regimes backed different Afghan groups instead of simply supporting what was good for the Afghans. The PTI chairman hoped that the future would tie up both countries in exemplary ties. Daudzai told Imran that how different agreements were imposed on the Afghans throughout history since the Soviet invasion, including the arrival of US and NATO forces. He said that Afghanistan was not even represented in the resolutions presented in the UNSC about the country.
Successive Pak regimes backed Afghan groups: Imran Khan
Mumtaz Alvi
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
2
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan conceded in a meeting with Afghan Ambassador Muhammad Umar Daudzai that successive governments in Pakistan had backed different Afghan groups instead of supporting what was good for the people of Afghanistan.
The Afghan ambassador called on Imran Khan here at his residence on Tuesday. The PTI chairman hoped that the two countries would now move forward and achieve good results through dialogue and consultation.
Imran said he had a dream to see an open border between a friendly and peaceful Pakistan and Afghanistan. Daudzai described how different agreements were imposed on the Afghans since the Soviet invasion and the arrival of US and Nato forces afterwards. Afghanistan, he said, was not even represented in UNSC resolutions on Isaf. He felt that this situation would continue for at least four more years.
However, the Afghan ambassador said, his country had been investing very heavily in human development including higher education. He said Afghanistan today was a different Afghanistan from 2001 but there was no awareness of the changed Afghanistan in Pakistan.
Imran Khan expressed hope that the US withdrawal from Afghanistan would not see a repeat of the agony of 1989 and civil war. The ambassador explained why this would not happen. But he conceded that Imran’s concerns were genuine.
Both also discussed the new thinking within the Taliban, who were more accommodating. The different types of Taliban were also discussed.
Imran Khan emphasised that Pakistan and Afghanistan should have a relationship free of the excess baggage of the past and of India, although the latter factor, he noted, could not be ignored.
The ambassador explained that the forthcoming visit of President Karzai to Pakistan would be different from his past visits. “Afghanistan wants to establish a relationship with Pakistan that is free from any other power, as they have done with Iran. But this has to be done by taking the whole country in confidence, not just the government,” he said.
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