Aug 2, 2021: The Pakistan Foreign Office on Monday condemned former Canadian Secretary of State Chris Alexander’s remarks on Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process, saying such remarks showed a complete lack of understanding of the issue as well as ignorance of the ground realities.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said on Twitter, “We strongly condemn the unjust remarks of former Canadian Minister Chris Alexander, making baseless and misleading claims about Pakistan’s role in the #AfghanPeaceProcess.”

“Such remarks betray a complete lack of understanding of the issue as well as ignorance of facts on the ground,” he added.

We strongly condemn the unwarranted comments by former Canadian Minister Chris Alexander, making unfounded & misleading assertions about 🇵🇰’s role in #AfghanPeaceProcess. Such remarks betray a complete lack of understanding of the issue as well as ignorance of facts on ground.1/3

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 1, 2021

The spokesman added that such remarks were regrettable as the world had now recognized the position of Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan that there was no military solution to the Afghan problem and that a comprehensive and broad-based political settlement was needed.

Now when the world has acknowledged what 🇵🇰&PM @ImranKhanPTI have consistently maintained abt there being no military solution to the conflict in #Afghanistan &the need for an inclusive,broad-based& comprehensive political settlement, such gratuitous commentary is deplorable.2/3

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 1, 2021

The Pakistan foreign office spokesperson further stated that “The matter has been taken up with the Canadian side. We have urged the Canadian authorities to take steps to address this motivated and malicious smear campaign.”

The matter has been taken up with the Canadian side. We have urged the Canadian authorities to take steps to address this motivated and malicious smear campaign. 3/3

— Spokesperson 🇵🇰 MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) August 1, 2021

On 29 July, the Foreign Office said Pakistan had no plans to reduce diplomatic relations with Afghanistan, insisting that negative comments from certain elements in the neighboring country could not be allowed to affect “important relations”.

Pakistan believes in maintaining close, cooperative and fraternal relations with Afghanistan. “There are no plans to reduce our diplomatic relations with the neighboring country,” the spokesman said. “The negative statements of some elements, who do not represent the people of Afghanistan, cannot be allowed to have a negative impact on this important relationship, especially at this critical juncture in the ongoing Afghan peace process,” he added.

The FO said that Pakistan has taken up the matter with the government of Canada. “The matter has been taken up with the Canadian side. We have urged the Canadian authorities to take steps to address this motivated and malicious smear campaign.”

Earlier, On August 1, former Canadian minister Chris Alexander posted a message on Twitter, saying: “Taliban fighters waiting to cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan… anyone still denying that Pakistan is engaged in an ‘act of aggression’ against Afghanistan is complicit in proxy war & war crimes.”

Taliban fighters waiting to cross the border from Pakistan to Afghanistan: anyone still denying that Pakistan is engaged in an ‘act of aggression’ against Afghanistan is complicit in proxy war & war crimes.#SanctionPakistan #EndProxyWar pic.twitter.com/2Nas7VhQBI

— Chris Alexander 🌻 (@calxandr) August 1, 2021

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