Pakistan terms Afghan president’s statement interference in internal affairs
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has expressed serious concern over the recent tweets by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani terming it unwarranted and a clear interference in country’s internal affairs.
Special Assistant on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan has taken a strong exception to the recent tweet of Ashraf Ghani regarding the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday, she said it amounted to direct interference in the internal matters of Pakistan. She said the Afghan leadership should keep in mind the international non-interference canons before issuing such statements.
The special assistant said Pakistan was a sovereign country and its constitution dictated to take action against the elements having no regard for the country’s constitution. She said it was total negation of diplomatic norms if a country spoke against the rule of law of the other country.
Firdous Ashiq Awan reminded that the valiant armed forces and people of Pakistan lit the candles of peace by rendering their blood. She said no militant could be allowed to play with the peace of Pakistan. She said the law would take its course against the militants.
Also Read: Manzoor Pashteen arrested in Peshawar
“Pakistan is a proponent of peace in the region and it believes in collective efforts to achieve the objective of peace in Afghanistan,” she said.
In a statement, Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said Pakistan believed that such statements were not helpful to the promotion of good neighborly relations between the two countries.
The spokesperson said Pakistan wished to maintain close and cordial relations with Afghanistan based on the principles of non-intervention and non-interference and urged the Afghan side to work together for the common objective of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.
On Jan 27, police had arrested the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) chief from Peshawar’s Shaheen Town.
Dawn newspaper had quoted a police officer as saying that Manzoor Pashteen was shifted to a Dera Ismail Khan police station, where a case had been lodged against him.
Confirming the report of arrest, Member of National Assembly and PTM leader Mohsin Dawar had said, “This is our punishment for demanding our rights in a peaceful and democratic manner. Manzoor’s arrest will only strengthen our resolve. We demand the immediate release of Manzoor Pashteen.”
