ISLAMABAD:
After days of speculation suggesting that Pakistan may have captured or planned to seize the strategically important Wakhan Corridor, Pakistan on Thursday finally broke its silence and rejected all such reports.
“Wakhan Corridor, what I can say is that I have seen this endless speculation. Wakhan is part of Afghan territory. Afghanistan is Pakistan’s neighbor. We recognize its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It is not about Pakistan having designs on one of its neighbors , the issue does not arise,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan told reporters at his weekly press conference.
He was responding to questions about reports that have been doing the rounds that in view of the current tensions with Afghanistan, Pakistan was planning to capture the Wakhan Corridor.
Located in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan, the Wakhan Corridor is a narrow strip connecting China and Afghanistan on one side and Pakistan and Tajikistan on the other.
It was part of the historic Silk Road. However, the high-altitude corridor remained closed for more than a century due to inhospitable climate, lack of infrastructure and safety concerns.
Since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in August 2021, the interim government has been talking to China about reviving the old route. However, China has not said a word or indicated whether it has any plans to open the border.
China’s approach is cautious as it fears that opening the route could trigger smuggling and movement of militants, who want to create unrest in Xingjian, which is on the other side of the Wakhan corridor.
He also dismissed reports that DG ISI’s recent visit to Tajikistan was part of Pakistan’s efforts to destabilize Afghanistan.
“Tajikistan is a very close friend and partner of Pakistan. We have long-standing relations with Tajikistan and the exchange of visits and consultations between governments is a normal feature of this relationship. And any speculation about Pakistan and Tajikistan working to destabilize or something like that And our relationship, as with all friendly countries, is based on the principles of the UN Charter,” the spokesperson stressed.
“Afghanistan is a neighbor of Pakistan. We have long-standing relations. It is an important neighbor. And both countries understand the importance of this equation and the importance of good relations between two neighbors. And we wish Afghanistan the best, and we want to nurture it and develop strong and vibrant relationships, as it should be between two neighbors,” he added.
The spokesperson said one of the key issues at the moment is the sanctuaries enjoyed by the TTP terrorist group on Afghan soil. “The two sides are in touch on this situation. As for the details of diplomatic contacts, the embassies of both countries are working. We have a charge d’affaires in Kabul and a senior Afghan diplomat also heads his embassy here.”
“Diplomatic contacts are ongoing and, as between neighboring countries, there are multi-level engagements that are ongoing, often not reported in the media. But this remains an important relationship, and we continue to work to improve, solidify and stabilize this vital relationship,” he further said.
In a recent meeting between the Afghan foreign minister and the Indian foreign secretary, the spokesperson said that Afghanistan is a sovereign country. “We have never aspired nor have we attempted nor do we intend to aspire to have a veto over what type of relations it wants to have with other countries. It is its sovereign right, the type of relationship it wants to develop with other countries. “
“And as I mentioned earlier, Afghanistan is an important neighbor of Pakistan. We have long-standing historical relations; we would continue to work to bring the relationship to its full potential as it should be between the two neighbors. The sanctuaries from terrorism that the Terrorists remain a key problem between the two countries. “We will continue to communicate with the Afghan authorities to address this genuine concern of Pakistan,” he said.
The spokesperson also backed a US official’s statement that Pakistan was not party to any alliance treaty with the United States. “What I can say at this point is that it is a fact that Pakistan is not a party to any alliance treaty with the United States. It is also a fact that Pakistan has been designated a major non-NATO ally since 2004.”
“But it is also a fact that Pakistan’s contribution to maintaining peace and security in the region and fighting terrorism is too great to be encapsulated in technical and legal labels. That is all I can say,” he added.
To another question, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States will represent the country at President Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20.
