Pak warns against foreign interference in Afghanistan

NEW YORK - Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, has warned the international community that foreign interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs can have adverse consequences, however, Islamabad must remain engaged with Kabul as a strategic partner.

“No regional or extra-regional state should be allowed to manipulate the situation. The long-term objectives of peace, stability and development in Afghanistan can be realised only by respecting its sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity,” The Dawn quoted Haroon, as telling the Security Council during a debate on the situation in Afghanistan.

“Non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan, however, must be a cardinal element of this engagement,” he added.

Haroon said that Pakistan had vital stakes in the viability of Afghanistan, since in the history of human conflict, no neighbour of another country had suffered more than Pakistan from the consequences of conflict and human tragedy in Afghanistan.

“In their progress we see our progress and in their woes we see our woes,” he said.

Haroon said Pakistan is committed to further strengthening friendly ties with Afghanistan, and his country’s assistance package for Afghanistan was the biggest cooperation programme Islamabad had with any country.

Afghanistan is also Pakistan’s third largest trading partner, he said, adding that the two countries also had security and intelligence cooperation.

The ambassador supported the voluntary and dignified return of over three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, and stressed the need for sustained efforts at creating the necessary “pull-factors” in Afghanistan, including re-integration programmes within the development strategy, which required international support. (ANI)