Revisit policy towards Afghanistan, Pakistan asked

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): Pakistan has been asked to revisit its policy towards Afghanistan and eschew issuing hard-hitting statements on bilateral tiffs.

In concluding remarks at an event in Islamabad, political analyst Afrasiab Khattak urged Pakistan should review its policy towards Afghanistan.

He told participants in the consultation Pakistan’s policies towards Afghanistan lacked continuity — the root cause of problems between Kabul and Islamabad.

Afghan journalist Sami Yousafzai also urged Pakistan to avoid being inconsiderate in dealing with Kabul on the issue of Pakistani Taliban’s alleged presence in Afghanistan.

Speakers urged the neighbours to start fresh talks on breaking the ongoing deadlock on TTP hideouts across the Durand Line and its involvement in attacks in Pakistan.

Journalist Haroon Rashid viewed the TTP issue as the biggest hurdle to cordial bilateral relations between the two countries.

Muzhgan Feraji, Afghan journalist and educationist, regretted the denial of education and employment rights to women in her country.

She asked: “If women have the right to education and employment in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, why cannot they get these rights in Afghanistan?”

Maulana Abdul Haq Hashmi, Jamaat-i-Islami leader for Balochistan, underlined the need for understanding the ideological basis of the Afghan Taliban and the TTP.

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