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ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa reiterated on Friday Pakistan wanted a prosperous and stable Afghanistan, adding that his country had “no favorites” in the war-torn state in the northwestern neighborhood.
Bajwa issued the statement during a detailed discussion on regional issues with US Chargé d’affaires Angela Aggeler.
Pakistani officials have frequently maintained they are willing to work with any administration in Kabul, though they have nudged various Afghan factions to get together and try to reach an inclusive political settlement in their country.
“Pakistan has no favorites in Afghanistan and our sole aim is helping achieve peaceful, sovereign, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan,” Bajwa was quoted as saying by the military’s public relations wing, ISPR, in a statement.
The statement also maintained that the US diplomat appreciated Pakistan’s role in maintaining regional peace and thanked its leadership for helping the world community with the evacuation operations in Kabul.
The army chief also condemned the recent suicide attack outside the Kabul airport that killed about 90 people, including 13 US troops.
According to the international press, the attack marked the first instance of US military casualties in the war-battered country since February 2020.
In a separate development, Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres it was imperative for the world to engage with Afghanistan after the withdrawal of international forces.
Qureshi discussed the ongoing Afghan situation with the top UN official, saying his country would continue to play a constructive role in promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.
According to a statement released by the foreign office, Guterres applauded Pakistan’s role in facilitating the work and humanitarian mission of UN entities in Afghanistan.
The Pakistani foreign minister said his country would provide all possible support to the UN in the fulfilment of its mandate.
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