The country’s civil and military leadership on Thursday rejected outright the “specific allegations and insinuations” levelled against Pakistan in the new US strategy for Afghanistan, insisting that scapegoating Pakistan will not help stabilise the war-ravaged country.The hard-hitting statement was issued after a meeting of the National Security Committee, presided over by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and attended by the ministers of foreign affairs, interior, and finance, the three services chiefs, and the head of Inter Services Intelligence (ISI).The meeting of the top national security and foreign policy body came three days after President Trump unveiled his new Afghanistan strategy. The US President singled out Pakistan for supporting what he called “agents of chaos”.In what appears to be a clear ultimatum, Trump said Pakistan had to change its “double game” policy or face the consequences. US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson then explained that Washington may revoke Pakistan’s major non-NATO ally status as well as possibly cutting military aid and other assistance if it continues to provide shelter to the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani network.Meeting against the backdrop of this evolving situation, the civil-military huddle was a detailed discussion of the implications of the new US strategy for Pakistan.An unusually detailed statement issued by the Prime Minister Office responded to each and every aspect of Trump’s new policy, ranging from the double-game allegations to the provision of billions of dollars in aid and the suggestion of giving India an increased role in Afghanistan.The committee specifically addressed the issue of financial assistance provided by the US to Pakistan since the 9/11 attacks.Challenging the myth of billions of dollars of US aid, the civil and military leadership noted that the claims of billions of dollars in aid to Pakistan were misleading as they were actually partial reimbursements for part of the cost of ground facilities and use of air corridors by the United States for its operations in Afghanistan, rather than financial aid or assistance.At the same time, the statement stressed that instead of any financial or material assistance, there should be understanding and recognition of Pakistan’s efforts, contributions and sacrifices of thousands of Pakistanis and over $120 billion in economic losses caused by the war.Responding to the double-game allegations, the committee said Pakistan had taken indiscriminate actions against all terrorist networks and lost tens of thousands of troops and civilians in this fight.“The demonstrated security improvement inside Pakistan would not have been possible without eliminating all terrorist hideouts. Moreover, successful cooperation with the US in the past against the common enemy – terrorism – reflects Pakistan’s unflinching commitment to eliminate this menace.”It further said that Pakistan’s effective counter-terrorism operations had clearly proven that the tide of terrorism could be reversed and “we are willing to share our experience with both the US and Afghanistan.”“This would require working together and focusing on core issues such as eliminating safe havens inside Afghanistan, border management, the return of refugees and reinvigorating the peace process for a political settlement in Afghanistan.”It adds that Pakistan considers “the lives of the citizens of other countries as sacrosanct as those of our own” and that Pakistan is committed to not allowing its soil to be used for violence against any other country.“We expect the same from our neighbours,” the statement read.However, Pakistan appears to have also drawn a clear red line as to how far it would go in this fight against terrorism. “The Afghan war cannot be fought in Pakistan,” read the official handout in a calculated policy statement.Hitting back at the US, the statement said, “We would like to see effective and immediate US military efforts to eliminate sanctuaries harbouring terrorists and miscreants on Afghan soil, including those responsible for fomenting terror in Pakistan.”The committee observed that Pakistan had to manage the blowback of a protracted conflict in Afghanistan that resulted in a deluge of refugees, free flow of drugs and arms, and more recently, terrorists from safe havens in eastern Afghanistan, where anti-Pakistan terrorist groups continue to operate from to launch attacks inside Pakistan.“The fact remains that the complex internal dynamics of Afghanistan pose a grave challenge not only to Pakistan but to the broader region and the international community,” the statement noted.While noting the US commitment to continue shouldering the burden of Afghanistan and reign in the expanding amount of lawless countryside in the state, the committee observed that Pakistan had consistently supported all international efforts for a stable and peaceful Afghanistan and had also committed more than a billion dollars for infrastructure and social development in that country.“Over the years, Pakistan has worked with both the United States and Afghanistan to promote peace through a politically-negotiated outcome which, in Pakistan’s view, remains the best option to bring stability to this war torn country. A prolonged military campaign in Afghanistan has resulted in destruction and killing of hundreds of thousands of Afghan civilians.”Pakistan has also endorsed and supported all Afghan-owned and Afghan-led initiatives for peace, the statement said.“It is Pakistan’s expectation that any strategy adopted to stabilise Afghanistan will succeed to end this protracted conflict and usher in an era of peace in the country, paving the way for the dignified return of millions of Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan, for which we are willing to extend all possible cooperation.”Against the backdrop of threats, the committee reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity.“The committee underscored that as a responsible nuclear weapon state, Pakistan has in place a robust and credible command and control system which has been universally recognised and appreciated.”The committee also made it clear that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible cooperation to the international community for achieving the common objectives of peace and stability in Afghanistan and in the broader region.The new element in the new US strategy is an effort to give an increased role to India in Afghanistan, something that many independent commentators believe would surely ignite regional tensions.





The civil and military leadership minced no words and clearly opposed the idea of giving India such a role in Afghanistan.



“India cannot be a net security provider in the South Asia region when it has conflictual relationships with all its neighbours and is pursuing a policy of destabilising Pakistan from the east and the west,” the statement said.



The committee expressed deep concern at Indian policies inimical to peace in the region including interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries and using terrorism as an instrument of state policy.



Meanwhile, the committee also condemned state-inflicted repression on the people of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated Pakistan’s continued diplomatic, political and moral support for their struggle for self-determination.



The committee reportedly decided to launch a diplomatic offensive to garner the support of friendly countries in the wake of the devolving situation. For this purpose, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif is expected to visit China before undertaking a visit to Washington.



