Afghanistan Urges US to Put Pressure on Pakistan to Stop Terrorism: Foreign Minister

Afghan foreign minister, Salahuddin Rabani who is currently visiting Washington to attend the US-sponsored anti-coalition group meeting called on the Trump Administration to put pressure on Pakistan to stop using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.

Rabani Slammed Pakistan for being the destabilizing factor in his war-torn country, saying terror groups continue to have safe havens in Pakistan and its establishment provides unhindered support to terrorists.

Declaring that the National Unity Government (NUG) tried to open a new chapter of relationship with Islamabad, Mr Rabbani told a Washington audience: “Unfortunately, we did not see practical steps taken by Pakistan on the promises they made.”

A paradigm shift in Pakistan is needed to bring Taliban on the peace table,” Rabbani said.

Foreign minister referred to the series of recent attacks in Kabul and Kandahar and said these prove that Taliban does not want to come to the negotiation table.

“Pakistan should see Afghanistan as a sovereign and independent country. It is not a subservient to anyone,” he said.

“India has been a country that has supported Afghanistan for 15 years. It has been busy building schools, colleges, hospitals, roads and bridges. While others have chosen to destroy them they (India) have chosen to build them. We value that,” Mr Rabbani said.

Pakistan’s reluctance to end its support to terrorism undermines efforts to insure peace and security in the country, he alleged.

“Now, we have stopped asking Pakistan to deliver Taliban to peace table. We want Pakistan to take action against the Taliban leadership. They should not support violence in Afghanistan,” he said.

“I do not see any policy change in Pakistan in the coming days,” he said, attributing this to the increasing insecurity in the powerful Pak military.

By ZackArya & Nazira Karimi from Washington D.C.