Afghanistan Times
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‘The flowing water of Afghanistan will be managed’
By Farhad Naibkhel-KABUL: President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday said the regional and international opportunities favor Afghanistan, it’s time for Pakistan to choose an opportunity or it’s opposite. Stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Islamabad and in the region as well.
Addressing a press conference here at Presidential Palace, President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani, said: “There was a time when Pakistan was considering Afghanistan as a marginal state with a common perception that if Torkham, Spin Boldak or Karchi crossing points were closed, Afghans would be groaning and Afghanistan would be easily isolated, but now the situations have been changed in favor of Afghanistan by opening new trade routes which puts an end to the only dependence on Pakistan’s ports.”
He added that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan can ensure Pakistan’s economic interest in the region, rather than unstable Afghanistan.
He furthered that our priorities and opportunities have been changed, now time has arrived for Pakistan to make decisions and chose opportunities.
“However, Pakistan has a choice to choose one of the two, if Pakistan cooperates with Afghanistan then a big portion of Central Asian business would concentrate with South Asia which could change the lives of 40-60 million people,” he added.
Moreover, Ghani emphasized on relations of state to state, adding, “hope this was cleared to everyone that Afghanistan at the time is not under economic pressure.”
He pointed out that Afghanistan has been established good cooperation and bilateral relations with the regional countries.
Afghanistan is not influenced by anyone and it couldn’t be the influential area for anyone, he insisted.
President said that Afghanistan had maintained its national sovereignty and territorial integrity as a result of sacrifices offered by 100 last generations, rather than a gift by anyone to Afghans.
In addition to that, he stated that first we must reach to peace with Pakistan and then with the Taliban outfit.
He further went on saying that Taliban have very short time they must buy a watch where they have to choose peace of defeat. “Those who are responsible for targeting Afghans during praying must be brought into the court of justice.”
Commenting on water resource, President Ghani said that “water is our wealth and honor and it will be managed in a bid to bring national harmony and economic stability.”
He said that 18 billion meter cubic water belongs to Afghanistan which needs to be managed in the national interests.
Construction work on Salama and Kajaki dams are in progress and the other big dams would be completed in future, he noted.
Control and management of water by Afghanistan would pave the ground for international cooperation not discrimination, he added.
Hinting to the Helmand River Treaty with Iran, Ghani vowed it would be implemented as per soul.
We would concentrate over water resources across the country as per national interests, he underlined.
