Khan, who had lengthy been essential of Pakistan’s participation within the about two-decades lengthy battle, claimed that he was near the decision-makers in 2001 when the then navy ruler, Gen Pervez Musharraf, determined to turn into a part of the ‘war on terror’.
“And so, I am well aware of what considerations there were behind the decision. Unfortunately, the people of Pakistan were not a consideration,” Khan stated whereas addressing the officers of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad.
“The considerations, instead, were the same as in the 1980s, when we participated in the Afghan jihad,” he stated, referring to the Soviet-Afghan battle, which was then dubbed as “holy war”.
“We ourselves are responsible… as we let [others] use us, sacrificed the reputation of our country for aid and made a foreign policy that went against the public interest [and was devised] for money.”
He termed the ‘war on terror’ for Pakistan a “self-inflicted wound” and added that “we cannot blame anyone else for this outcome (of the war).”
Khan prior to now had usually cited that Pakistan suffered greater than 80,000 deaths and financial losses of over $100-billion because of the 20 years of battle.
Talking concerning the newest state of affairs in Afghanistan, Khan stated that it was a “big atrocity” {that a} man-made disaster was being created “when it is known that unfreezing Afghanistan’s accounts and liquidity will avert the crisis.”
He stated that addressing the state of affairs in Afghanistan was vital for Pakistan as being its neighbour, it may very well be hit badly as a result of disaster.
He stated that Pakistan would proceed to offer help to Afghanistan in these troublesome occasions.
He additional added that no matter liking or disliking the rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan, the world ought to deal with the difficulties being confronted by its 40 million folks.
Khan additionally congratulated and appreciated the Foreign Office for internet hosting the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation session at a brief discover and stated that the response to the summit confirmed that Pakistan’s picture had improved globally.
“The attendance at the summit and the appreciation of Pakistan’s stance reflect that the country’s image had improved,” the premier stated, including that credit score for the “improvement in Pakistan’s image” goes to his authorities.
The prime minister additional urged the officers of the ministry to shift their focus from geo-politics to geo-economics and asserted that Pakistan can turn into an ideal nation by specializing in self-belief.
