Pakistan stands for peace and stability in South Asia but its security concerns must be addressed, Islamabad's ambassador in Washington argued in an interview while highlighting the vitality of his country's anti-militancy efforts for the region and the world beyond.
Husain Haqqani said that Pakistan is not a client state and its people and leadership want a multi-faceted relationship with the United States. "The worldview we want everybody to understand is our national worldview--supported by the military, endorsed by the civilian (leadership), backed by the Parliament--we want good relations with India but on the basis of resolving outstanding disputes.
And, we want a stable Afghanistan where there is no scope for Afghanistan being the launching pad for proxy wars against any of its neighbours including us." He told the Financial Times that Pakistan does not want Afghanistan to be ruled by the Taliban.
"That should be clear to everyone. It is not in Pakistan's interests to see the Taliban return to power in Afghanistan. All we are looking for is that the post-American withdrawal (from Afghanistan)--the biggest reality for Pakistan--we do not want the Taliban running Afghanistan, thereby destabilising Pakistan with demands from Pakistani Taliban to try to create a similar system on the Pakistani side," he explained.
"All Islamabad wants is that the government in Afghanistan should be friendly with Pakistan and the means Pakistan is purusing for that is to build good friendly relations with Afghanistan and make sure that Afghanistan's territory is not used in any way to undermine or weaken Pakistan," he added.
"But at the same time it must be understood that Pakistan's concerns about having a friendly regime in Afghanistan should not be misinterpreted as our willingness to tolerate any elements that pose a threat to the international community, our neighbours or Pakistan." "Any Indian presence in Afghanistan should not be a strategic military or intelligence presence that threatens Pakistan's integrity, stability and strength," he stated in response to a question.
"Pakistan has shared with the United States information and intelligence that points in that direction that there are activities going on in Afghanistan that are detrimental to Pakistan's security," he said when asked to elaborate on Pakistan's concerns vis-a-vis Indian presence in Afghanistan. Haqqani reiterated Pakistan's firm resolve to curb any terrorist activity on Pakistan's soil.
"There will be no part of Pakistan which will be available to any al Qaeda-linked group whether it is Afghan originated or Pakistani that pose threat to Pakistan or any member of international community." Pakistan, the envoy said, will work with the international community to make sure that no terrorist group that threatens Pakistan or its neighbours or the international community remains operative.
Ambassador Haqqani cited Pakistan successful military operations in Swat, South Waziristan as well as the country's capture of high-prolfile Afghan Taliban figures on Pakistan soil. All groups posing threat to the international community are target of Pakistan's actions, he said, rejecting the impression that Pakistan is not moving against any network militants that might be hiding in North Waziristan.
There have been military operations in North Waziristan already, he pointed out. "It is incorrect to assume that our logistical or other difficulties are in any way a lack of will on our part. The Pakistani military is overstretched. We have over 150,000 troops in areas along the Afghan border compared with only a hundred and seven thousand troops from 43 nations in Afghanistan."
The ambassador said: "The fact is we do believe that if there is a reconciliation process in Afghanistan and there are individuals with whom the Afghan leadership wants to interact and it is an Afghan-led process, not a Pakistan-led process, Pakistan would like to be part of that process and would like to encourage it and make sure that it results in positive circumstances in Afghanistan. "But we are right now working on making sure that there is no one on Pakistani territory that poses a threat either to Pakistan, or to its neighbours or to the international community."