Ministry of Foreign Affairs Tuesday summoned the Deputy Ambassador of Pakistan Shahbaz Hussain to Kabul, over the recent “reckless” remarks by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on an interim government in Afghanistan to break the deadlock over peace in the country.
“Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed its grave objection on Pakistani Prime Minister’s recent ‘reckless’ statements about the peace process and establishment of an interim government and deemed such statements an obvious example of Pakistan’s interventional policy and disrespect to the national sovereignty and determination of the people of Afghanistan,” MoFA said in a statement, as quoted by local media.
Afghan government also called Atif Mashal, Afghanistan Ambassador to Islamabad to further discuss the matter, according to the statement.
Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan proposed an interim government as a possible solution to an apparent impasse on the current peace process in the country.
Khan believes the Afghan peace process is cutting a rough time and the negotiators have reached a deadlock over a sustainable peace in the country.
“The Afghan government was a hurdle in peace process that was insisting that Taliban should talk to it,” said Khan, as being quoted during his interaction with local journalists at his office in Islamabad Monday.
In mid-March, Ministry of Foreign Affairs once summoned a senior Pakistani diplomat to account for remarks by Prime Minister Imran Khan speculating about a “new government” in Kabul following a prevailing peace settlement.
Afghan Politicians’ Reaction
Outstanding Afghan politicians and a number of high-ranking government officials flooded on social media, as they slammed the recent remarks on “interim government” by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Shah Hussain Murtazawi, Deputy Spokesperson for President Ghani, reacts to Khan’s remark, exclaiming the government fate on foreigners thought!
“Interim government’s dance with neighboring instruments!!,” said Murtazawi in a local language in a tweet Tuesday.
Former Afghan president Hamid Karzai said that Khan has, for the second time, intervened to the internal matters of the country and should perhaps respect the mutual understanding and cooperate Afghanistan as mandated in law.
“PM @ImranKhanPTI repeated comments about Afghanistan’s future gov’t is blatant interference in our country’s internal affairs,” Said Karzai in a tweet Tuesday. “I recommend to the gov’t of Pak & others to commit to friendly relations with AFG on principles of mutual respect to sovereignty & dignified relationship,”
PM @ImranKhanPTI repeated comments about Afghanistan’s future gov’t is blatant interference in our country's internal affairs.I recommend to the gov’t of Pak & others to commit to friendly relations with AFG on principles of mutual respect to sovereignty & dignified relationship
— Hamid Karzai (@KarzaiH) March 26, 2019
Joining Karzia, Mohammad Hnif Atmar, former Security advisor for the country, said Khan’s remarks is a “willful” intervention, adding Afghanistan is a country for Afghans and solely its citizen can determine future of the country – not “leaders of a neighboring country.”
“Recent statement attributed to PM @ImranKhanPTI of Pakistan is a willful interference in #Afghanistan’s internal affairs,” said Atmar in a tweet Tuesday. “Afghanistan is a sovereign nation & the Afghan people, not the leader of a neighboring country, can decide the future of govt & politics in our country. ¼”
Recent statement attributed to PM @ImranKhanPTI of Pakistan is a willful interference in #Afghanistan’s internal affairs. Afghanistan is a sovereign nation & the Afghan people, not the leader of a neighboring country, can decide the future of govt & politics in our country. 1/4
— Mohammed Haneef Atmar محمد حنیف اتمر (@MHaneefAtmar) March 26, 2019
Meanwhile, Unites States Special Representative Zalmah Khalilzad said Pakistan have played constructive role in the peace process, but Khan’s remarks did no good.
He further added, without any intervention to the internal matters, regional and international partners should perhaps inspire Afghan citizens to come along together for a peaceful society.
“While #Pakistan has made constructive contributions on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, PM Khan’s comments did not,” said Khalilzad in a tweet Tuesday. “The future of #Afghanistan is for #Afghans, and only Afghans, to decide. The role of the international community is to encourage Afghans to come together so they can do so.”
While #Pakistan has made constructive contributions on the #AfghanPeaceProcess, PM Khan's comments did not. The future of #Afghanistan is for #Afghans, and only Afghans, to decide. The role of the international community is to encourage Afghans to come together so they can do so.
— U.S. Special Representative Thomas West (@US4AfghanPeace) March 26, 2019
Afghan government so far did not comment on the controversial remarks by PM Khan.
Sources said that interim government in the country is neither supported by the government per se, nor by the people of the country.
Afghan Peace Process
The Afghan peace process is aspiring to put an end to a longest war the United States has ever fought in the country.
The US Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and the Taliban delegations last month wrapped the prolonged 16-day talks in Doha, Qatar, setting a draft agreement on foreign forces withdrawal and counterterrorism assurances.
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