Pakistan Wants Stable, Democratic, Peaceful Afghanistan: Khurram Dastgir Khan

Minister for Defence Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan has said that Pakistan wanted to see a stable, democratic and peaceful Afghanistan.

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 01st Mar, 2018 ) :Minister for Defence Engineer Khurram Dastgir Khan has said that Pakistan wanted to see a stable, democratic and peaceful Afghanistan.

Half of Afghanistan is safe heaven for terrorists, he said while talking to a news channel. The United States with the help of Allied forces had launched the longest war in Afghanistan but it could not get success and now, America pegging its failure on Pakistan, he said.

The minister said the US must worried about Halmand Shura and massive poppy cultivation which was being reported in Afghanistan since the US presence there. Pakistan was engaged in completing "fence" along Pak-Afghan border through its own resources to protect border from terrorists, he said.

Pakistan had suffered mostly due to terrorism, he said. Through operation Zarb-e-Azb and Raddul Fasaad, the menace of terrorism approximately had been resolved. Following the dynamic policies and leadership of Nawaz Sharif, the government had overcome the problem of load shedding through initiating many power projects besides wiping out the menace of terrorism from its soil, he said.

"We have crossed 5 percent growth rate last year after a decade, " he added.

To a question he said there was no terrorist sanctuaries or Haqqani network existing in the country, he said. There was no ungoverned spaces in Pakistan, he added.

Commenting on current Pak-US relations, the defence minister said Pakistan had a history of good relations with the US and we were working to strengthen ties with all countries including American, Chinese, Russian, and Gulf states.

"We need to spread economic footprint across the world, " he said. To a question he said India had committed 400 line of control (LoC), violations this year. Despite many challenges, he said China was making heavy investment through CPEC in Pakistan.

Expressing his satisfaction over the performance of PML-N government, he said incumbent government had largely resolved terrorism, energy and economic issues. The PML-N government after coming into power in 2013 elections had to face long hours load shedding, terrorism and weak economic problems.

Replying to a question Khurram Dastagir said two democratic governments had completed their constitutional tenure in this country. He said the next general election would be held on time.