What is Asfandary Wali Khan chatting about in India.........
Senior Pushtoon leader of Pakistan Asfandyar Wali Khan today presented a grim picture of the situation in his country and said India could help it by giving assurances on security of the border.
"Pakistan cannot withdraw force from its eastern border along India beyond a certain point. We don't have enough forces to fight extremists in Swat, Bajour, Bonair and other places," he said delivering a lecture on 'Vision for Pakistan in 21st Century' at the Jamia Millia Islamia here.
"If we are satisfied that our eastern borders are safe we can move our forces to fight against inimical elements with full might," Khan, grandson of 'Frontier Gandhi' Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan and chief of Awami National Party (ANP), said. Khan, whose party is a member of Pakistan's ruling coalition, favoured a regional solution to Af-Pak problems and apprehended that these might otherwise spill over to India.
He said invaders who have crossed Peshawar have always reached Kolkata. "If you have to stop Taliban, extremists or al-Qaeda, help us to finish them across Indus river. Otherwise, Delhi not a target too far."
Talking about situation in his country, Khan said, "Even our funerals are not safe."
He dismissed the suggestion that Pakistan Army was not targeting groups inimical to India and said it was fighting against Lashker-e-Toiba cadres in Waziristan. Khan said Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kiyani is a "sincere person" who supports peaceful ties with India.
The ANP chief favoured a joint intelligence and information sharing mechanism against terrorists. For the resolution of issues of Kashmir and water, the best way is to talk and settle them as per a give and take formula, he said.