Pakistan bore brunt of Soviet-Afghan war despite staying away: NSA

Pakistan National Security Adviser Naseer Khan Janjua on Tuesday said the country "didnt take part in the Soviet-Afghan War, nor was it behind the 9/11 attacks, yet it still bore the brunt of the damage they did".

"At that time, the fear was that if Russia entered Afghanistan, Pakistan would be its next target. And for that, the concept of jihad was exploited and our seminaries were used (to nurture the militants)," he was quoted by Dawn, while addressing an event held at the Pakistan Academy of Letters in Islamabad.

"Had we not supported Afghanistan back then, would the country still be standing," the NSA asked, adding that if Pakistan had instead provided Russia with a "passageway", America may not have been "the only superpower" in the world today.

"Everyone abandoned Afghanistan once Russia lost, and all the militant elements established roots there," Janjua said.

Janjua was of the view that had the members of the Afghan Taliban been formally included in Afghanistan's political processes, the country would have been in a better state of affairs.

"Had the Taliban been included in the election, Afghanistan would not have been in such a fix today," he added.

"Pakistan has played the role of a front-line state for the last four decades," he continued.

"We have to consider matters of national security keeping a view on the world," he added.

The former army-man further said that national security includes the domains cyber security, world politics, the international economy as well as the globe's military strength.

"Pakistan has received many wounds in the war against terrorism," Janjua concluded.

"We are accused of playing a double game. But if we are supporting the Afghan Taliban, why would the Pakistani Taliban be standing against us today?"

--IANS

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