Afghanistan Stresses on Implementation of U.S. New Strategy, Pressures on Pakistan

The Afghan government emphasizes on implementation of U.S. new strategy and putting more pressure on Pakistan, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) said.

The Ministry of Defense warned that if Pakistan does not stop supporting Taliban, the U.S. new strategy would not have any value.

“The U.S. new strategy should be implemented and more pressures must be on Pakistan to stop supporting Taliban,” said Dawlat Waziri, spokesman of MoD.

This comes as Pakistani Parliament rejected the new U.S. strategy toward Afghanistan and the region.

“The National Assembly of Pakistan rejects the unacceptable targeting of Pakistan by President Trump in his statement on Afghanistan and South Asia,” Pakistan’s parliament said.

On August 21, in a speech announcing the US strategy in Afghanistan and South Asia under the new administration, Trump singled Pakistan out for particular criticism.

“We can no longer be silent about Pakistan’s safe havens for terrorist organisations, the Taliban, and other groups that pose a threat to the region and beyond,” said the US president at the time.

A day later, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson told reporters that Washington would consider cutting aid to Pakistan, increasing the use of drone attacks within its territory and stripping the South Asian country of its status as a major non-NATO US ally.