Islamabad: Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Moeed Yusuf has said that no US official or lawmaker has demanded a military base in Pakistan, rejecting reports that Biden The administration was seeking US military bases in the country to influence development in neighboring Afghanistan.
Yusuf made the remarks when he concluded his 10-day visit to the US. Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday that he met senior officials during his visit before leaving for Islamabad.
Summarizing the visit, Yusuf told Pakistani journalists living in the US, “During our conversation, the word Aadhaar was not mentioned even once, except in the media.”
“During this visit, the bases were not discussed from either side as we have already clarified our position. That chapter is closed,” he said.
In June, Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to host US bases in Pakistan for military action inside war-torn Afghanistan, fearing it could lead to his country being “targeted in retaliatory attacks” by terrorists.
Earlier reports in both the US and Pakistani media claimed that the Biden administration was looking for military bases in Pakistan to influence developments in Afghanistan, especially if Taliban Captured Kabul.
At a recent congressional hearing, US officials talked about using Pakistani airspace to reach Afghanistan and base in the area, but did not say where.
Underlining Pakistan’s desire to maintain good relations with the US and China, Yusuf said, “If there is tension between the US and China, we cannot say that our relations with both will remain uninterrupted.”
Recent reports in the US media have suggested that Afghanistan and China are the two main obstacles to the rebuilding of closer ties between Pakistan and the US.
According to reports, Washington wants Islamabad to use its influence to stop the Taliban takeover in Kabul.
US policymakers also want Pakistan to join a US-led coalition to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Commenting on this, Yousuf said that Pakistan does not see it as a “zero-sum game, neither with the US nor with China.”
He said that Pakistan enjoys and wants to maintain good relations with both.
“Indeed, our location provides us with the opportunity to play an important role in fostering good relations between the United States and China, as we did in 1970,” he said.
NS NSA He said Pakistan wants the US to continue to engage and play a leading role in Afghanistan, as it had done earlier.
“Indeed, we think a total US withdrawal will have a negative impact on the entire region,” he said.
“Pakistan shares America’s aspiration for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
Emphasizing that the two countries have the same goal, “to achieve a political settlement in Afghanistan,” the Pakistani official said, “the difference lies on methodology alone and that is why we have decided to engage.”
Afghanistan has seen an escalation in violence by the Taliban since US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US and NATO troops by August 31.
Dawn reported that Yusuf, however, acknowledged that there were differences between Pakistan and the current government in Kabul, mainly because “they keep making objectionable statements about Pakistan.”
While Kabul claims that Islamabad is sending thousands of terrorists to fight in the war-ravaged country and providing safe haven to the Taliban, Pakistan alleges that Afghanistan harbors the anti-Pakistan group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan . Pakistani Taliban – And also the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army.
Yusuf made the remarks when he concluded his 10-day visit to the US. Dawn newspaper reported on Saturday that he met senior officials during his visit before leaving for Islamabad.
Summarizing the visit, Yusuf told Pakistani journalists living in the US, “During our conversation, the word Aadhaar was not mentioned even once, except in the media.”
“During this visit, the bases were not discussed from either side as we have already clarified our position. That chapter is closed,” he said.
In June, Prime Minister Imran Khan refused to host US bases in Pakistan for military action inside war-torn Afghanistan, fearing it could lead to his country being “targeted in retaliatory attacks” by terrorists.
Earlier reports in both the US and Pakistani media claimed that the Biden administration was looking for military bases in Pakistan to influence developments in Afghanistan, especially if Taliban Captured Kabul.
At a recent congressional hearing, US officials talked about using Pakistani airspace to reach Afghanistan and base in the area, but did not say where.
Underlining Pakistan’s desire to maintain good relations with the US and China, Yusuf said, “If there is tension between the US and China, we cannot say that our relations with both will remain uninterrupted.”
Recent reports in the US media have suggested that Afghanistan and China are the two main obstacles to the rebuilding of closer ties between Pakistan and the US.
According to reports, Washington wants Islamabad to use its influence to stop the Taliban takeover in Kabul.
US policymakers also want Pakistan to join a US-led coalition to counter China’s growing influence in the region.
Commenting on this, Yousuf said that Pakistan does not see it as a “zero-sum game, neither with the US nor with China.”
He said that Pakistan enjoys and wants to maintain good relations with both.
“Indeed, our location provides us with the opportunity to play an important role in fostering good relations between the United States and China, as we did in 1970,” he said.
NS NSA He said Pakistan wants the US to continue to engage and play a leading role in Afghanistan, as it had done earlier.
“Indeed, we think a total US withdrawal will have a negative impact on the entire region,” he said.
“Pakistan shares America’s aspiration for peace and stability in Afghanistan,” he said.
Emphasizing that the two countries have the same goal, “to achieve a political settlement in Afghanistan,” the Pakistani official said, “the difference lies on methodology alone and that is why we have decided to engage.”
Afghanistan has seen an escalation in violence by the Taliban since US President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US and NATO troops by August 31.
Dawn reported that Yusuf, however, acknowledged that there were differences between Pakistan and the current government in Kabul, mainly because “they keep making objectionable statements about Pakistan.”
While Kabul claims that Islamabad is sending thousands of terrorists to fight in the war-ravaged country and providing safe haven to the Taliban, Pakistan alleges that Afghanistan harbors the anti-Pakistan group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan . Pakistani Taliban – And also the separatist Balochistan Liberation Army.
.