Pak’s stake in Afghanistan far greater than India’s: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that his country has far greater stakes in Afghanistan than India due to a shared border and the on-going ‘war on terror’ in the region, adding that Islamabad can not remain oblivious to its ‘legitimate’ concerns in the war-tattered country.

Addressing the Senate on the recent strategic dialogue between Pakistan and the United States in Washington, Qureshi said during the dialogue Islamabad told the Obama Administration that it wants stability and peace in Afghanistan.

“We have legitimate concerns in Afghanistan to which the government cannot remain oblivious. We want a stable, peaceful and friendly Afghanistan,” Qureshi said.

“India does not share a border with Afghanistan, it does not has a direct knowledge of Afghanistan’s situation, it didn’t pay the price in the war against terrorism that Pakistan paid,” he added.

Describing the deliberations as a ’success’, Qureshi said the Pakistani delegation informed the White House that Islamabad was paying a huge price in the ‘war against terror’ and that it is critical that the US continue to support the country.

“We were also able to draw the attention of the US towards the bilateral nature of relationship. We have conveyed all matters of mutual concerns to the US and for the first time the American authorities have agreed to consider our demands and help us in ten different sectors,” The Daily Times quoted Qureshi, as saying.

He said the Pakistani delegation was able to convince the US administration about the country’s genuine security needs and the US has agreed on a fast track delivery of the equipment required by Islamabad to continue its fight against extremists. (ANI)