Islamabad, July 16: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday hit back at Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s statement in which he had talked about Pakistan’s “negative role” in the Afghan peace process, and said that it was “unfair” to blame the country for the present situation in Afghanistan.
Imran Khan made the comments at the international conference on “Central and South Asia Regional Connectivity: Challenges and Opportunities” during his two-day visit to Uzbekistan.
The Afghan president was also present at the conference and the statement came shortly before the two leaders were scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the conference.
“President Ghani let me just say that the country that will be most affected by the turmoil in Afghanistan is Pakistan. Pakistan has suffered 70,000 casualties in the last 15 years. The last thing Pakistan wants is more conflict,” Khan said.
Pakistan announces cancellation of Afghan peace conference
A three-day conference on peace in Afghanistan, which was to be hosted by Pakistan from Saturday, has been postponed till Eid al-Adha, officials said on Friday, amidst escalating violence in the war-torn country and trading of barbs between Kabul and Islamabad over alleged support to Taliban militants.
The conference was originally scheduled from July 17 to 19 in Islamabad and was to be attended by a number of high-ranking Afghan leaders. Taliban leaders were not invited.
A three-day conference on peace in Afghanistan, which was to be hosted by Pakistan from Saturday, has been postponed till Eid al-Adha, officials said on Friday. (Agencies)
