PAKISTAN said the federal government will ensure that the country will be insulated from fallouts if Afghanistan plunges into a civil war after a complete withdrawal of American troops.
“Even if Afghanistan descends into a civil war, the government will not let the fallout affect Pakistan,” federal information and broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry said, according to a Dawn report on Monday (12).
Chaudhry said Pakistan is trying its “best” for a way forward in Afghanistan through a “peaceful regime”, but added that Islamabad has agreed upon the “principle of non-interference” in the affairs of its neighbour.
"Pakistan's land is not being used against Afghanistan and (we) hope that Afghanistan's territory too will not be used against Pakistan," he said.
The minister’s remarks come days after national security adviser Moeed Yusuf warned of an impending risk of an attack by Tehreek-i-Taliban operatives who could “enter Pakistan disguised as refugees”.
Yusuf said Pakistan was concerned about the changing situation following the US drawdown and Islamabad would be adversely affected by the growing violence and a possible “civil war” in Afghanistan.
Foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had expressed concerns that Pakistan would not be able to handle an influx of refugees in case of a civil war in Afghanistan.
Damian Talbot
Nirmala Sitharaman speaks at the India-UK Investor Roundtable in London last Wednesday (9). On the panel were India’s department of economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth and Kotak Mahindra Bank founder Uday Kotak
Sitharaman with Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves
Sitharaman with Jonathan Reynolds 
Sitharaman with Reynolds, Alastair King, India’s high commissioner Vikram Doraiswami and other delegates