KABUL, Afghanistan – Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an interview with Spiegel Magazine, said they have no preferences in Afghanistan and their only interest is the future Kabul government should not allow India to operate against Pakistan from its territory.
He said he had discussed the issue with Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation; and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of Hezb-e-Islami leader, according to sources.
Khan further said no one can predict the future of Afghanistan, but what he want to say is that after Afghanistan, Pakistan needs peace the most, reiterating Islamabad’s role in Afghan peace process.
Pakistan sees the Indian government’s active presence in Afghanistan as a threat to its national interests and has repeatedly claimed that Indian intelligence forces are using Afghan territory to strike Pakistan.
While the claim has been repeatedly denied by Kabul and New Delhi, the Afghan government dubs the allegations as an excuse for Islamabad supporting the Taliban.
Over the years, Kabul and New Delhi have built close ties, Indian government being a major supporter of Afghanistan for the past two decades.
Disputes between India and Pakistan over Kashmir have led Islamabad to see New Delhi’s presence in Afghanistan as a threat to its national security.
