Rawalpindi:
In an interview to a private TV channel, Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar said that there are many facets to the Afghan peace process and it is at a critical juncture and everyone understands this. He said that as far as Pakistan is concerned, Pakistan Has sincerely sought to move this peace process forward, which has certainly involved other stakeholders, but Pakistan has played a key role.
He said that it was necessary to understand that Pakistan had been a facilitator in this peace process and is still playing this role but is not a guarantor. Major General Babar Iftikhar said that this peace process depended on different Afghan factions who had joined hands. I have to talk and decide for myself how they are going to take Afghanistan forward, so we have always been of the view that this peace process should be led by Afghans, that is what we are striving for and striving for. Will stay
In response to a question, he said that the Afghan National Army has spent a lot of money in the last 20 years and has been trained by the United States. The National Army is present in large numbers in Afghanistan while it also has an air force. The Taliban seem to be more concerned about key cities. The Taliban claimed control of 85 percent of Afghanistan yesterday, but a Pakistani military spokesman said the Taliban were in control of 45 to 50 percent of Afghanistan. Percentage has been seized but the claim of possession of 85% share seems to be exaggerated.
He said that the process of withdrawal of US forces is underway and this process will be completed by August 31, but the solution to the problem of Afghanistan will have to be found by the countries in the region with their own leadership. DG ISPR said. I want to make it clear that Pakistan is often blamed for Afghanistan’s problems, the Afghan government has been making the same accusations, but as a soldier I believe that the amount spent on the Afghan National Army They must face the conditions that arise in their own country and they must have this ability.
Responding to a question, he said that even if the Taliban came to power in the future, it would be the decision of the people of Afghanistan and no one was giving instructions from outside. If the army reaches the same conclusion, it will be their own decision. He said that the whole world knows that we have sincerely tried to move this peace process forward, we have repeatedly said that Afghanistan I am not one of our favorites, it is up to the Afghan people to decide what kind of government they want to form, if there is a deadlock we are still trying to resolve it but we can go to some extent and go beyond that They have to take it themselves.
In response to another question, Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar said that guns cannot decide the future. If guns have not decided in the last 20 years, what will they do next? The recent advance of the Taliban is just an offensive step. We have to do it, otherwise this process will turn into a civil war and a war in which no one is benefited. Asked about the possibility of civil war in Afghanistan, he said that all factions in Afghanistan in the last 20 years If you have seen violence, you will be fed up with it.
“In the current situation, there are fears of refugees coming to Pakistan and terrorists coming with them, but we started increasing security and management on the Pak-Afghan border a long time ago, while we have 2,611 km long Pakistan-Afghan border,” he said. A spokesman for the Pakistan Army said that if there was a civil war in Afghanistan, refugees could come to Pakistan. That is why a large number of refugees had come to Pakistan before. We are ready for that and in this regard. Have taken steps.
“Everyone knows that groups like ISIS and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan are sitting in Afghanistan and from time to time they try to harm Pakistan’s interests and even during the fencing we were attacked from there,” he said. “We have raised this issue with the Afghan government. The Director General of ISPR said that the security arrangements of the border management are very good and we hope that we will be able to overcome this situation.”
He said that if the violence escalated in Afghanistan, there would be a threat of influx of refugees and the Interior Ministry had made a lot of plans in this regard but the international community and all stakeholders would have to decide on it together. That our position is very clear that we have to allow our land to be used against anyone and on the other hand to allow unnecessary people to come here but on the other hand similar arrangements have been made on the border as we have made arrangements. There should have been, which unfortunately they did not.
Responding to a question, Maj. Gen. Babar Iftikhar said that the only demand of all stakeholders from the US was for a responsible withdrawal from Afghanistan, which meant that the values had been transferred peacefully. Exit but the evacuation was a little hasty. He said that the United States needs a base and the question does not arise and if the powers of the region sit down and talk, they are fully capable of solving this problem.
He said that if India’s investment in Afghanistan had been based on goodwill, they would not have had to face the disappointment they are facing today. It could have hurt, but today they see all that investment sinking. He said that the world has come to understand that Pakistan has made every effort to resolve the issue of Afghanistan without violence and in accordance with the aspirations of the Afghan people.
