Acknowledging that after a long time Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are shaping up “in a constructive way,” Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit has told The Hindu that the changing equations between the countries are not directed against India.
“We are glad that things are changing between Pakistan and Afghanistan in a constructive way. But we are not against India-Afghanistan relations,” he said.
Mr. Basit also said Afghanistan is “not bypassing” India, while talking to Pakistan. “Pakistan and Afghanistan’s relationship is unique as they share a long border, cultural and religious commonalities and [have] families on either side. The country [Afghanistan] was under huge stress since Soviet occupation and the issue of Afghan refugees [in Pakistan] also needs to be sorted out,” he said.
Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani has been working over time to improve his country’s fractured relationship with Pakistan. Many experts, including the international media, have interpreted this as a move by the war-torn country to realign itself with Pakistan “bypassing” India.
Focus on terrorism
Mr. Basit, however, emphasised on the need for a strong India-Afghanistan relationship to “complement” Pakistan’s ties with Afghanistan.
“Our focus at the moment is on terrorism and how to help Afghanistan under its own leadership and reconciliation plan. We are just facilitating that to the extent we can. It is up to Afghanistan to see where and how Pakistan can be relevant…,” the High Commissioner said.
Mr. Basit said that one of the main focuses in next year’s SAARC Summit, when Pakistan will be hosting it, is to put the SAARC Motor Vehicles Agreement in place. The agreement will ensure trouble-free movement of cargo and passengers among many member countries of the SAARC. The hassles of cross-border movements like downloading and uploading cargo at border crossing or multiple checking of documents are expected to be removed.
“The agreement faced some problems in Nepal [last SAARC Summit]. We have submitted some amendments to the draft to the SAARC Secretariat in Kathmandu. It would be circulated to all member countries,” Mr. Basit said. He pointed out that Pakistan had discussed the issue with Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar, during his Islamabad visit.
Meets Mamata
The High Commissioner later met Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. During the meeting, Mr. Basit proposed that West Bengal and Pakistan could have student exchange programmes, trade and food shows, and visits by parliamentarian delegations. Ms. Banerjee promised to consider the proposals.
(For full interview visit >thne.ws/BasitInterview )
