'Pakistan wants peace, stability in Afghanistan'

Pakistan's National Security Adviser Lt. Gen. Nasir Janjua (retd) said on Tuesday that "our hearts beat for Afghanistan and its people", adding that Islamabad wants peace and stability to prevail in Kabul.

"Our hearts beat for Afghanistan. We are a peace loving nation and wish for prevalence of peace and stability in Afghanistan," Janjua said, "we have shared our homes and hospitality Afghan with migrants".

On the issue of proliferation of terrorists from across the border, Janjua said that Taliban militants often find refuge through displaced Afghans and those making their way to Pakistan.

Border management with Afghanistan was a crucial issue, he said.

He also stated that refugees were at times used for purposes such as smuggling and terrorism.

"Pakistan did not get anything in return for taking in the three million displaced Afghan people," Janjua said while referring to the influx of Afghan refugees to Pakistan following the Soviet-Afghan War in 1980s.

Last week, the Pakistan-Afghan border at Torkham was closed after Afghan authorities protested when Pakistan started installing fence and barbed wire to stop illegal border crossing.

Afghanistan authorities later formally announced that they had no objection to the fencing in Pakistani territory. Pakistan had taken the initiative to check illegal movement along the border.

--IANS

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