Afghanistan providing safe havens to terrorists: Pak

Unhappy over discussions in the US Senate blaming Pakistan for the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, Islamabad today went on a counter-offensive and blamed Kabul for providing "safe havens" to terrorists active in the country.
"Terrorist groups attacking Pakistan have found safe havens in Afghanistan," Foreign Office (FO) spokesman Nafees Zakaria alleged, while issuing Pakistan's response to recent discussions in the US Senate, media and think-tanks, on situation in Afghanistan and US-Pakistan relations.
"The recent elimination in Afghanistan of terrorists involved in a number of heinous acts of terror in Pakistan clearly demonstrates the existence of safe havens in Afghanistan," Zakaria said.

He welcomed the discussions in the US but expressed disappointment with "some of the assertions and insinuations" about terror safe havens in Pakistan.
The emerging nexus between Islamic State in Khorasan - a geographic region covering Afghanistan, Pakistan, and parts of northern India - and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is also of great concern to Pakistan, the FO said.
"We need to prevent the emergence of new and more virulent entities committed to spreading chaos and insecurity in the region," he said.

Reminding the west of sacrifices made by Pakistan in the 'war on terror,' Zakaria said that Pakistan alone has lost more soldiers in this fight than the number of soldiers from all the 40 coalition partner countries combined.

"Pakistan has undertaken this momentous effort, while hosting one of the largest refugee populations in the world and operating under the limitation of an unregulated border," he said.
Zakaria said that Pakistan's decade-long military operations in the tribal region were successful in destroying and eliminating the command and control structure of terrorist outfits operating from Pakistan-Afghan border.
He said a multiplicity of factors both military and non- military contribute to the existing stalemate in Afghanistan.
"Therefore, singling out Pakistan and pinning the entire blame on it for the situation in Afghanistan is neither fair nor accurate."
He said accusing Pakistan and recycling old strategies would not produce new results.

Zakaria also reminded the US on the criticality of border management and settlement of refugees as fundamental issues in achieving any degree of success in Afghanistan.
The FO spokesperson said Pakistan's resolve to defeat terrorism remains unwavering.
"We also remain committed to peace and stability in Afghanistan and will continue to work with members of the international community including the Afghan government to make 2017 a year of cooperation for peace, security and stability in the region," he added.