ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday signalled its readiness to engage with the United States and cooperate for peace in Afghanistan despite reservations over President Donald Trump’s policy statement regarding Afghanistan and South Asia.

National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Lt Gen Nasser Janjua and Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria, on separate occasions, emphasised the need for remaining engaged with the US and working together for Afghan peace.

Gen Janjua, according to a statement issued by his office after his meeting with US Ambassador David Hale, “stressed the need for working together to stabilise Afgha­nistan” and thanked the envoy for his “cooperative outlook”.

Nafees Zakaria, meanwhile at his weekly media briefing, emphasised the need for dialogue to address contentious issues.

Envoy Hale tells Janjua US policy misinterpreted as having blamed Islamabad for Afghan imbroglio

“Pakistan has longstanding relationship with the US. Our areas of cooperation are diverse and multidimensional … In inter-state relations, there can be differences over issues between two countries, for which there would be established channels of communication through which misperceptions could be allayed and differences resolved,” he said.

The flexibility has apparently come after clarifications and assurances from the US on its new policy.

The government and parliament had angrily reacted to President Trump’s speech, which accused Pakistan of allowing terrorist sanctuaries and threatened action against the hideouts, besides disregarding its security concerns by giving a bigger role to India in Afghanistan and the broader region. Trump chastised Pakistan for getting billions of dollars from the US, but allegedly providing protection to terrorists.

The National Assembly was particularly harsh in its recommendations asking the government to put off all bilateral visits and consider suspending ground and air supply routes used by the US.

The government has now moved towards formulating its strategy for future engagement with the US. The National Security Committee (NSC) has constituted a working group for finalising the recommendations in this regard. Moreover, an envoys’ conference has been convened for next week.

During his meeting with the US envoy, Gen Janjua sought further explanations from the US on its new policy. He told Ambassador Hale that the new process initiated by the NSC would “fully examine the new policy and consider all options. We would like to receive further details from the US side”.

The NSA reiterated Islamabad’s reservations and concerns over the policy, saying it “created uncertainties and further added to the regional fragility and imbalance”. He called for an early end to conflict in Afghanistan instead of intensifying kinetic action.

Ambassador Hale clarified that the US policy was being misinterpreted as having blamed Pakistan for the Afghan imbroglio and that it was a purely military strategy. He said it also included a political approach for a settlement of the conflict.

The US, he said, was considering the revival of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) – a four-nation arrangement involving Pakistan, Afghanistan, the US and China for facilitating the Afghan reconciliation process, with Pakistan having a lead role.

Pakistan, Afghanistan and China have already called for revitalisation of the QCG process that has been on hold since the killing of Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a drone strike in Balochistan last year. However, its resumption was being held back because of the US which was busy in reviewing the Afghan policy.

The NSA office’s statement further said the US was also considering restoring the six-plus-one process on Afghanistan. This process is a group of regional countries involving the US, Russia, China, India, Pakistan and Iran and the one being Afghanistan.

The US envoy said the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) elements based in Afghanistan would also be targeted. This has long been a major Pakistani demand.

“Enhanced authority for decision making given to field commanders meant quick action against all terrorist groups, including the TTP, who are enemy of Pakistan,” Mr Hale told the NSA, according to the statement.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has already said that elimination of sanctuaries in Afghanistan, along with those in Pakistan, was “vital to US interests”.

In his media briefing, the FO spokesman said Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif “intends to share Pakistan’s perspective on the elements of President Trump’s statement and other bilateral issues during his future interaction with the US leadership”.

On Afghan peace process, he said Pakistan had been part of and sincerely pursuing and participating in all initiatives aimed at bringing lasting peace and stability to Afghanistan.

“Pakistan is ready to play its role to that end, whenever required. We believe that all initiatives in Afghanistan should be Afghan-owned and Afghan-led,” Mr Zakaria added.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2017

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