Pakistan tells UN won't be 'scapegoat' in Afghan war
Pakistan refuses to be a "scapegoat" for Afghanistan's bloodshed or to fight wars for others, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi told the United Nations on Thursday.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Abbasi did not explicitly criticize US President Donald Trump's new strategy on Afghanistan but made clear his displeasure with the renewed onus on Pakistan.
"Having suffered and sacrificed so much due to our role in the global counter terrorism campaign, it is especially galling for Pakistan to be blamed for the military or political stalemate in Afghanistan," Abbasi said.
"We are not prepared to be anyone's scapegoat," he said.
"What Pakistan is not prepared to do is to fight the Afghan war on Pakistan's soil. Nor can we endorse any failed strategy that will prolong and intensify the suffering of the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan and other regional countries," he said.
Abbasi said that 27,000 Pakistanis have been killed by extremists since the launch of the US war on terror after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
He called for a priority on eliminating extremists, including from the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, in Afghanistan but ultimately a political solution with the Taliban.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/pakistan-...014406807.html
Afghanistan calls Pakistan hub of terror in furious response at UN
Exercising its right to reply Afghanistan on Friday accused Pakistan of diverting the attention of the international community from its "longstanding failure" to take effective action against various terrorist groups.
It is evident that the propagation of terror activities in neighbouring Pakistan constitutes the main source of insecurity in the country and the region, Afghanistan said. Afghanistan's representative on the floor of the General Assembly said that one member state's claims regarding the presence of safe havens and sanctuaries in Afghanistan was erroneous.
"Such a difference is a deliberate attempt by the government of Pakistan to divert international attention over Pakistan's longstanding failure to take effective action against various terrorist groups and sanctuaries on its territory," an Afghan diplomat representing the country said. "It remains evidently clear to the global community that the propagation of terrorist activities by state and non-state actors in neighbouring Pakistan constitutes the main source of insecurity in Afghanistan and the region," he said. Afghanistan has persistently and consistently sought to address this outstanding issue through various channels including bilateral and other mechanisms, he said. Nevertheless, efforts to this end have yielded no results whatsoever, he said. "At this juncture Pakistan has another opportunity to engage in a comprehensive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues that have prevented it from adopting a clear and decisive stance in combating terrorism and constructive approach for peace and security in Afghanistan and the wider region," he said.
https://www.oneindia.com/internation...n-2548762.html
India calls Pakistan ‘Terroristan’ in UN speech row
In his speech PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi accused India of "war crimes" in the disputed Kashmir region and of "exporting terror" to Pakistan.
India addresses the UN on Saturday, but used a right of reply to respond.
Eenam Gambhir, India's first secretary to the UN, said it was "extraordinary that the state which protected Osama Bin Laden and sheltered Mullah Omar should have the gumption to play the victim".
"Pakistan is now Terroristan with a flourishing industry producing and exporting global terrorism," the envoy said.
She also accused Pakistan of "avaricious efforts to covet the territories of its neighbours".
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-41357142.Is