Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has welcomed US President Joe Biden’s announcement of troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by Septembers this year.India's big worry is that instability in Afghanistan could spill over into occupied Kashmir where it has been fighting for last three decade.
The statement comes after Angela Ageler, US Charge d’ Affairs to Pakistan, called on General Qamar, a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Thursday.
During the meeting, matters of mutual interest and overall regional security situation including recent developments in Afghan peace process were discussed in detail, it added.
“The COAS welcomed President Biden’s announcement of withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan by September 2021,” the ISPR handout read.
He further reiterated that a prosperous, stable and peaceful Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan in particular and region in general.
The military’s media wing said Gen Qamar also expressed hope for greater Pak-US bilateral cooperation in all domains in future.
The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s sincere efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region, specially the Afghan reconciliation and also assured of US continued assistance for the common cause of peace in Afghanistan.
Earlier in the day, the Foreign Office called for progress in the peace process before all foreign forces leave Afghanistan in a first formal reaction to President Biden's announcement to end the longest foreign war in American history.
While the Biden administration said troops withdrawal cannot be conditioned based any more, Islamabad believes that drawdown has to be accompanied by progress in the peace process.
This means that Pakistan in so many words want the foreign forces to stay on till some tangible progress is made in the peace efforts.
"In our view, it is important that the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with the progress in the peace process," the FO said in a formal reaction to the Biden's decision to complete the troop withdrawal by September 11.
India is concerned about a vacuum developing in Afghanistan following the proposed withdrawal of the United States and Nato forces from the country, the chief of the defence staff said on Thursday.
General Bipin Rawat told a security conference that the worry was “disruptors” would step into the space created by the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. He declined to name the countries that could act as spoilers.
President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that US troops would be withdrawn from Afghanistan starting on May 1 to end America’s longest war, rejecting calls for them to stay to ensure a peaceful resolution to that nation’s grinding internal conflict.
“Our concern is that the vacuum that will be created by the withdrawal of the United States and Nato should not create space for disruptors,” Rawat said.
India’s big worry is that instability in Afghanistan could spill over into occupied Kashmir where it has been fighting for three decades.
It is also concerned that Pakistan will gain a bigger hand in Afghanistan because of its long-standing ties with the Taliban, who are expected to play a dominant role once the United States leaves.
“There are many people looking for an opportunity to walk into the space being created,” Rawat said.
India invested $3 billion in Afghanistan on roads, power stations and even built its parliament following the ousting of the Taliban in 2001.
Rawat said India would be happy to provide more support to Afghanistan so long as peace can return.
Biden, in his announcement, also said that US objectives in Afghanistan had become “increasingly unclear” over the past decade.
