Pak PM sees zero role for India in Afghanistan

NEW YORK: Pakistan sees “zero” political or military role for India in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said on Thursday, weeks after US PresidentDonaldTrumpsoughtmore help from New Delhi to bring peace and stability in the wartorn country.

Trump,whileannouncinghis new Afghan and South Asia pol- icylastmonth,hadcriticisedPakistan for harbouring terrorists. He had also called on India to help the US more with Afghanistan, especially in the area of economic assistance and development.

Asked about India’s role in Afghanistan,Abbasisaid,“Zero.”

“Wedon’tforeseeanypolitical or military role for India in Afghanistan. I think it will just complicate the situation and it will not resolve anything. So if they want to do economic assistance,that’stheirprerogative,but we don’t accept or see any role politically or militarily for India in Afghanistan,” he said.

“Do you see abusiness role for them in Afghanistan as investors?” he was asked.

“That’s up to them. All countries have the right to trade with each other, invest in other countries. So if they want to do that...and India has invested in Afghanistan in the past,” he said.

The Pakistan PM dismissed the question of links between the HaqqaninetworkandPakistan’s intelligence agency, the ISI. PTI