Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Friday 6 april 2018

Pakistani prime minister to head to Kabul on landmark visit

By MUNIR AHMED and AMIR Pakistan more than $33 be talking to Pakistan’s mili-
SHAH billion in aid over the last tary intelligence agency,
Associated Press 15 years and had gotten known as the ISI, because
ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pre- nothing in return but “lies & it allegedly is able to influ-
paring to head to Kabul, deceit.” ence the Taliban.
Pakistan’s prime minister Washington later con- He said Pakistan’s civilian
on Thursday reiterated his firmed it is withholding $255 government has no abil-
country’s full support for Af- million in U.S. military aid to ity to force the Taliban to
ghanistan’s efforts to revive Pakistan this year. come to the table and that
the long-stalled peace pro- In Afghanistan, Javid Faisal, “the power in Pakistan is
cess with the Taliban. deputy spokesman for the with the ISI.”
Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s chief executive, Abdullah At the Islamabad confer-
remarks came on the eve Abdullah, said Pakistan’s ence on Thursday, Abbasi
of his key visit to Afghani- support was critical to talks also rejected criticism that
stan, which could help with the Taliban and that Islamabad is not doing
ease tensions between the In this July 31, 2017 file photo, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi’s visit would help enough to curb militant
two neighbors. The visit, Ab- Khaqan Abbasi arrives at the Parliament in Islamabad, improve the troubled Af- hideouts on its soil and in-
basi’s first visit since becom- Pakistan. ghan-Pakistan relations. sisted the international nar-
ing prime minister last year, Associated Press Also in Kabul, Abdul Rahim rative against Pakistan is
followed an invitation from charge Islamabad denies. with the Afghan govern- Ayoubi, a lawmaker from flawed.
Afghan President Ashraf Pakistan also insists its influ- ment. Afghanistan’s southern “Nobody wants peace in
Ghani. ence over the Taliban has In January, President Don- Kandahar province which Afghanistan more than
“We stand for peace in Af- been exaggerated. ald Trump lashed out at is the spiritual heartland of Pakistan because we are
ghanistan,” Abbasi told a Pakistan has, however, Pakistan, saying the United the Taliban, said the Af- the most affected” by ter-
counter-terrorism confer- praised Ghani’s overture States had “foolishly” given ghan government should rorism, he said.q
ence in Islamabad. to the Taliban in which he
In Kabul, Abbasi is expect- radical religious group as Turkish spy agency has snatched
offered to recognize the
ed to discuss a range of is-
sues, including how to facil- a political party. The offer
itate talks between Kabul also said no pre-conditions 80 people from 18 countries
and the Taliban, during the would be attached to any
day-long visit Friday. future peace talks.
Pakistan is under pressure The Taliban have not given Bozdag’s comments in an claim that he denies.
spokesman
interview with Haberturk Presidential
from Kabul and Washing- an official response to the
ton to stop offering safe ha- offer but have reiterated television came after Tur- Ibrahim Kalin denied, how-
key secretly arranged the ever, that the suspects
vens to militants blamed for their demand to talk to the
attacks in Afghanistan, a U.S. before holding talks deportation from Kosovo were abducted through
of six Turkish men — five illegal operations. He insist-
teachers and a doctor — ed the six men from Koso-
accused of supporting the vo were brought back in
coup attempt. agreement with the coun-
The move angered Koso- try’s authorities.
vo’s prime minister, who “We have never engaged
fired the country’s interior in any illegal act in our
minister and intelligence struggle against (Gulen’s
Turkey’s President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan speaks during chief for not telling him movement),” Kalin said.
a joint news conference about it, and drew sharp “The event in Kosovo took
with Iran’s President Hassan criticism from human rights place ... within the frame-
Rouhani and Russia’s President groups. work of an agreement on
Vladimir Putin in Ankara, Bozdag said the National the return of criminals.”
Turkey, Wednesday, April 4, Intelligence Agency had Those deported from Koso-
2018.
Associated Press similarly “bundled up and vo worked in schools and
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — brought back” suspects clinics supported by Gu-
In covert operations in linked to U.S.-based cleric len’s movement.
18 countries, Turkey’s in- Fethullah Gulen in covert At home, Turkey has ar-
telligence agency has operations in 18 countries. rested more than 38,000
snatched around 80 Turkish He did not name the coun- people for alleged links
citizens who the govern- tries but said such opera- to Gulen and fired some
ment wanted for alleged tions would continue. 110,000 public servants
links to the country’s 2016 Turkey has accused Gulen since the coup attempt.
failed coup, a top Turkish of being behind the failed Many of those arrested or
official said Thursday. coup attempt that resulted fired have proclaimed their
Deputy Prime Minister Bekir in more than 250 deaths, a innocence.q