Business Standard

Afghanistan facing 'undeclared war' from Pakistan: Ghani

Image

Press Trust of India London
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has accused Pakistan of waging an "undeclared war" against his country and said the Tehreek-e-Taliban was the "greatest threat to the region".

Delivering a lecture on 'Fifth Wave of Political Violence' at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) here yesterday, Ghani expressed frustration over little progress in peace talks and gathering of foreign fighters in Afghanistan.

"Who fights in my country? Chinese, Chechens, Uzbeks, Tajiks, but the greatest one of course is a huge movement from Pakistan. Then, of course all the rejects from the Arab world are sent on to us," he said.

"Our fundamental issue is peace with Pakistan. There has been undeclared war against us. I invested enormous amount of political capital to make sure the road to peace was the proper road. Our extended hand was not shaken," he said.
 

"The TTP (Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan) is becoming the greatest threat to the region," he added.

Establishing peace and stability in Afghanistan and across Asia and the Middle East remains a pressing challenge for the international community.

To support global efforts to counter political violence, it is vital that governments grasp the distinctive characteristics of contemporary terrorist groups and encourage greater cooperation and alignment of understanding on a national, regional, and international level, he said.

Don't miss the most important news and views of the day. Get them on our Telegram channel

First Published: May 13 2016 | 9:42 PM IST

Explore News