VOFTV:ISLAMABAD, Pakistan–Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Ambassador Asif Durrani said on Wednesday that the former has suffered more due to the latter’s internal situation than its three wars with India in terms of blood spilt and finances drained.
Ambassador Durrani was speaking at the one-day International Conference “Pakistan in the Emerging Geopolitical Landscape”, organised by the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI) and the German Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES).
Durrani said “After the withdrawal of Nato forces, it was hoped that peace in Afghanistan would bring peace to the region. However, such expectations were short-lived.”
He said attacks by the outlawed militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group on Pakistan’s border areas increased by 65 per cent, while suicide attacks increased by 500pc.
“The TTP’s enhanced attacks on Pakistan while using Afghan soil have been a serious concern for Pakistan. Another worrying aspect is the participation of Afghan nationals in these attacks,” he maintained.
Explaining how Pakistan suffered due to the developments in Afghanistan, he said Pakistan had suffered geopolitically since the Soviet Union invaded the neighbouring country.
Talking about the future outlook for Pakistan in the regional context, Durrani said that while “our eastern neighbour is likely to continue with its anti-Pakistan pursuits, the western border poses an avoidable irritant in the short to medium term.”
However, with deft diplomacy, Pakistan can overcome its difficulties with Afghanistan, including the TTP challenge, he pointed out.
Durrani also touched on broader regional relationships, noting that both China and Iran are likely to remain supportive partners in security and economic matters.
“The burgeoning Indo-US relationship, shifts in Middle Eastern politics, and ongoing violence in Palestine present significant diplomatic challenges for Pakistan,” he concluded.
Conference speakers provided a detailed analysis of Afghanistan’s evolving situation and advocated for a proactive and inclusive approach to address the country’s ongoing challenges