ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Engineer Khurram Dastgir has said that intelligence and defence co-operation with the United States has been suspended and it is high time for Islamabad to have ruthlessly candid dialogue with Washington with everything on the table.

Speaking at a public talk entitled “Contours of Security Environment in Pakistan” organised at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad (ISSI), he said that US, in spite of spending billions of dollars and getting its soldiers killed, could not win the Afghan war as it had only managed to control 40 per cent of Afghanistan during the last 15 years.

“America needs to deal with that ungoverned area before it points fingers towards Pakistan’s role in Afghan peace process. US military aid suspension to Pakistan has no importance. At the same time, strategic dialogue between the two countries has also faced suspension for last two years. High level dialogues with US would not work until resumption and consistency in working level dialogues,” Dastgir said. He said that US allegations and illogical demands have affected serious efforts made by Pakistan to ensure peace in the region as well as the world. He said sacrifices of Pakistan in war against terrorism were above board and it would not allow anyone to make it a scapegoat and bring Afghan war to its soil. He said Pakistan had been facing challenges where it had been confronting with external threat on eastern border with India and facing internal threat due to terrorism.

The minister said the successful military operation Zarb-e-Azb and ongoing Raddul Fasaad campaign have made Pakistan and region a citadel of peace. He said presence of Afghan refugees in large number in Pakistan was also another cause of internal instability. The decision of extension for a month stay of Afghan refugees in Pakistan has been taken by the Cabinet, he added.

Dastgir said a sustainable peace in Afghanistan was part of Pakistan’s foreign policy. He said Pakistan and China were partners and all weather friends. Multi-billion dollars project of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would bring development and prosperity, not only in Pakistan but also in the region. The CPEC is the first ever project in history of Pak-China relationship that will actually bring economic success to region. Regarding Indian hostile attitude, he said, Pakistan desires solution of all outstanding issue with India but its aggression along the Line of Control (LoC) and Working Boundary was a matter of concern.

Dastgir said US deemed India as its strategic partner in region, and it has been trying to convince Pakistan not to see India as a threat while Pakistan clearly sees India as a threat to its peace and stability.