Afghan diplomat asks Pak to be friendlier not otherwise

Asking Pakistan to stop supporting the Taliban, a top Afghan diplomat based here today said that to have better relations with Kabul, Islamabad needs to adopt a friendlier approach towards it.
"If Pakistan wants to have better relationship with Afghanistan, it better do it with friendlier means," the Afghanistan Ambassador to the US, Hamdullah Mohib told a Washington audience during an event organised by New America Foundation, a top US think-tank.
"Pakistan have been trying to do it with forceful method," Mohib said as he cautioned Islamabad against trying to impose its will on the people of Afghanistan.
"As they (Pakistan) know through history that (forceful method) would not work. Every time there is an attack in Afghanistan the perception is that Pakistan allowed that attack. What kind of friendship is that?" Mohib asked.

"Helping and supporting Taliban is wrong. It is not going to work," he said, alleging that Pakistan continues to support safe havens inside its territory.
"I can't speak of security in Afghanistan without talking about terrorist safe havens in Pakistan," he said, adding this is the biggest cause of concern for Afghanistan and its war against terrorism.

"The objective fact is, victory in Afghanistan requires a paradigm shift in American thinking about Pakistan," Mohib said, ruling that there has not been much change in the policies of Pakistan.
Mohib said Afghanistan would like to see a peaceful and stable Pakistan as this is in its national interest.

"We have practical recommendations for both Pakistan and the US on what should be done by them," he said, as he pushed for a Afghan-led peace process and no third party intervention in the process.
Mohib said the goal of the international community should be to win the war in Afghanistan and not how not to lose.
"We need to shift the mentality from not losing in Afghanistan to winning there. We must win," he said.
"Win is only way forward. This is the only way forward for the people of Afghanistan," he said.