Want good relations with Afghanistan, but not in India's interests: Pakistan

Islamabad: Pakistan's Minister for State and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch has said that his country wants to have cordial bilateral relations with Afghanistan but not in pursuit of Indian priorities.

"Pakistan fully recognizes that peace in region cannot be achieved without constructive bilateral ties. But if Afghanistan would follow the Indian priorities for relations with Pakistan, it will not be acceptable," local media reports quoted Baloch as saying.

Asserting that Pakistan has historical, geographical and ethnic association with Afghanistan, Baloch said his country is ready to facilitate Afghanistan in trade, health and other facilities but not on other countries priorities.

He said the relations between the two countries shall be based on bilateral priorities.

Dismissing the notion of foreign policy failure, Baloch said Pakistan's foreign policy does not revolve around India and Afghanistan alone as there are other countries and continents.

"We have cordial relations with Asian nations including Arab countries as well as with African and European countries and United States and China," he said.

He said Pakistan's relations with Afghanistan had never been very good except for a specific period of the USSR invasion.

Baloch alleged that Afghanistan had opposed Pakistan's membership of the United Nations being an Indian friend.

Baloch said terrorists from across the border had attacked Pakistan despite the PML-N leadership repeatedly trying to address Afghanistan's concerns.

He said Pakistan can take preventive measures like closing the border to stop illegal traffic as it cannot go for direct action within the Afghan territory.