Qureshi urges Afghanistan to maintain engagement with Pakistan

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Monday that the world should carefully watch spoilers that are disrupting the Afghan peace process, and asked Kabul to review the decision to recall its ambassador from Pakistan, stating that it does not serve the interests of both countries.

Appearing in a press conference alongside National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf and Islamabad Inspector General of Police (IGP) Qazi Jamilur Rehman, Qureshi said that it is now important for both countries to maintain their engagement.

Relations between the two neighbours have come under the spotlight amid the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan.

Last week, Afghanistan Ambassador Najibullah Alikhil’s daughter, Silsila, was also reportedly abducted from Islamabad’s commercial area by unidentified persons who also allegedly subjected her to torture. The development was followed by Afghanistan recalling its envoy and other senior diplomats as relations continued to be strained.

However, Qureshi said Pakistan and Afghanistan needed to step up engagement.

"It is important that both countries maintain their engagement," the foreign minister said, while addressing a press conference on Monday.

"Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan and will continue to expose spoilers," he said. "We have beefed up the security of all Afghan consulates in Pakistan."

Talking about the objective of the investigation, he said that we want to bring facts before the world. He also noted that Afghanistan wants to send a team to investigate the incident, and Pakistan will welcome it.

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Prime Minister Imran Khan is monitoring the investigation personally, he said, noting that "we need cooperation to further investigate the matter."

Explaining Pakistan's sincerity, he said that "we filed the first information report according to the information given by the complainant."

Terming Afghanistan's decision to recall its ambassador as an unfortunate development, he said that the envoy should be present in Pakistan to help investigate the case further.

Meanwhile, sharing information on the investigation, IGP Islamabad said that all available resources are being used to catch the culprits.

"Five different teams are working around the clock to investigate the incident," he said. "The investigation process has been going on for three days and we have reviewed footage of roughly 300 cameras in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

"Islamabad police have investigated around 220 people in the case and roughly 350 officers are involved in the process," the IG said.

"At least four taxis were used by the complainant after leaving the embassy and we have interviewed all relevant people in the case. We need further clarification and have sent a note to the Afghan embassy,” he said.

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Addressing the press conference, Dr Yusuf said that Pakistan is in the midst of hybrid warfare, and the case of the Afghan ambassador's abduction is related to it.

"Since the reporting of the incident, bots and fake social media accounts are being used to create a narrative that the security situation in Pakistan has deteriorated," he said.

"Hashtags like never accept Durand Line, Pakistan at war, Pakistan enemy of Afghanistan, among others are being run to give an impression that we do not want peace in Afghanistan."

Yusuf also showed slides, indicating that these activities are part of a broader campaign against Pakistan.

"All fake social media accounts, reporting on the abduction of the Afghan ambassador's daughter, have also been involved in propaganda against Pakistan on the issue of Kashmir and Balochistan," he revealed.

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Describing the objective of the information war against Pakistan, he said that the aim appears to be focused on showing that the existing chaos in Afghanistan is due to Pakistan.

“We are watching all these accounts and trying to isolate them by contacting internet companies,” he said. “The narrative that Pakistan’s security situation is bad doesn’t reflect the actual situation,” he emphasised.