KABUL, Dec 8: Foreign Minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri on Friday proposed the repatriation of more than 2.5 million Afghan refugees as a way to stop Taliban militants infiltrating into Afghanistan.
Mr Kasuri, on a three-day visit to Kabul, admitted that militants were making cross-border attacks from Pakistani soil, but said that Islamabad was doing its best to stop the problem with some 80,000 troops on the frontier.
“I'm not denying that people are coming from across the border ... but this is happening despite Pakistan,” Mr Kasuri said while addressing a joint press conference with his Afghan counterpart Rangeen Dadfar Spanta, after a meeting between the two officials.
He said there was a parallel with attacks in Iraq which happened “despite the United States”.
He said the militants infiltrating Afghanistan from Pakistan were Afghan refugees and that sending them back to their home country would help in reducing the violence.
“If they (Afghan refugees) come back, they'll not cross the border and it'll be easier for us to control the border and the tribal areas,” he said.
The Pakistani foreign minister said the two countries could not make any headway by only blaming each other.
"We have to find solutions to our problems, and for the purpose, it is necessary to build mutual trust," he said.
He regretted that when any acts of terrorism occurred in Afghanistan, accusation were levelled against Pakistan. "We feel hurt on such accusations," he said.
He said same terrorists were involved in acts of terrorism in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan.
“There are strong religious, cultural and ethnic ties between Pakistan and Afghanistan, and stable, peaceful and strong Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan,” he said.
He said both the countries were suffering from terrorism. “If there are acts of terrorism and suicide bombings in Afghanistan, the same is happening in Pakistan," he added.
He said attempts had been made on the lives of Pakistan's president, prime minister and vice chief of army staff.
The foreign minister said Pakistan’s economy had been growing at a rapid pace. The economic growth was 8.6 per cent last year which was the second highest in the world after China. "We know this rate of development cannot be maintained in the absence of peace and stability," he added.
“Pakistan wishes to develop as a communication, trade and energy hub for the region, and this is only possible in case of a peaceful, strong and prosperous Afghanistan,” he said.
He endorsed the remarks of his Afghan counterpart that linkages between the central and south Asia were not possible without the active cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Mr Kasuri also stressed the need for exchange of delegations of mediapersons from two countries. It would provide Afghan journalists a chance to see how Pakistan was suffering from terrorism.
The Afghan foreign minister mentioned Pakistan's efforts in the reconstruction of Afghanistan and measures to bring peace in the region.
Later, talking to newsmen upon his arrival at Chaklala Airbase, after completing his two-day visit to Kabul, Mr Kasuri said he had a very useful interaction with President Karzai.
He said his meeting with Younis Qanooni, President of Afghan Lower House, was frank and open at which matters of mutual interests came under discussion.—Agencies
