Pakistan won’t accept extension of US strikes: Foreign Minister

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Tuesday said that Pakistan would neither accept foreign boots on its soil nor extension of the US drone attacks.

Speaking at the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Qureshi said Pakistan strongly believed that the US drone attacks were counterproductive and unhelpful in joint efforts towards winning hearts and minds, which was essential to succeed against violent extremism, Xinhua reported.

The foreign minister, in his detailed briefing, covered a range of issues related to Afghanistan, including the planned military surge, increased emphasis on effective government, political reconciliation and the importance of Pakistan-US partnership for promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Qureshi said that there were serious implications of the US’ new Afghanistan strategy for Pakistan and there could be more violence in Afghanistan as a result of the military surge which could, in turn, result in further influx of militants and refugees from Afghanistan into Pakistan.