Pakistan NSA stresses need to resolve Afghan conflict

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Nasser Khan Janjua stressed the need to resolve the conflict in neighboring Afghanistan.
He did so at a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Beijing, which concluded on Tuesday.
Pakistan will continue its efforts to reach a peaceful and negotiated settlement to the conflict within an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process, Janjua said.
He also gave assurances of “Pakistan’s cooperation and participation in all regional efforts to counter the menace of narcotics and illicit drugs in the region,” his office said.
The meeting was attended by representatives of SCO member states Pakistan, China, Russia, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Pakistan joined the organization as a full member in June 2017.
Pakistan fully subscribes to the SCO’s ideals and objectives for durable peace, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond, Janjua said.
“Given the scale and dimension of security challenges in the SCO region, member states should enhance cooperation and develop comprehensive strategies to effectively counter old and new threats to regional peace and security,” he added.
The war on terror should adhere to international law and avoid “double standards,” and terrorism should not be associated with any religion, nationality or ethnicity, he said.
Over the last two decades, Pakistan has been at the forefront in fighting terrorism and has paid a high price, but this has not diminished its resolve, Janjua added.
On the sidelines of the SCO meeting, he held bilateral meetings with representatives from Russia, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.
“During these meetings, issues pertaining to bilateral security cooperation and mutual interest were discussed,” his office said.

Pakistan NSA stresses need to resolve Afghan conflict