Pakistan rejects Karzai remarks against security agencies

ISLAMABAD, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Tuesday angrily reacted to recent remarks by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who had alleged that Pakistani security agencies are destabilizing Afghanistan.

Karzai in an interview with Pakistan's Geo television in Kabul this week criticized Pakistan's military and intelligence agency for what he claimed "their efforts to weaken and make Afghanistan unstable using religious extremists as a tool".

The Pakistani Foreign Ministry rejected Karzai's remarks in a statement. "The Government of Pakistan has noted with concern a recent remark by President Hamid Karzai against one of the Pakistan state institutions," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement.

"In an interview to a local channel, the President has attempted to create an impression as if some institutions of Pakistan are not fully supporting the objectives of bringing peace to Afghanistan," it said.

The statement said the Government of Pakistan and all its institutions have unanimity of views on issues of national security and foreign policy. "In this context, promoting peace and stability to Afghanistan is an important pillar of Pakistan's foreign policy which is supported by all state institutions. However, the success of this policy requires reciprocal action and good will on the part of Afghan government."

The Pakistani spokesman said it is in the common interest of both countries to jointly address the common challenges of terrorism and extremism being faced by our region.

He said the newly elected leadership of Pakistan has reiterated its resolve to fully support an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process. "Pakistan will continue to support reconciliation efforts in Afghanistan in all its earnest for achieving durable peace, stability and development in our region," the statement said.

Karzai also alleged that Pakistan is trying for strategic depth in Afghanistan, adding that the people of Afghanistan will never allow changing their country into a strategic depth for Pakistan' s policies, and that Pakistan should have control to Afghanistan' s foreign policy.

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