Trump Praises Pakistan Amid Afghanistan Tensions
Haqqani Urges Pakistani Nation to Question Leadership
US President Donald Trump on Thursday praised Pakistan while responding to a question on tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying he shares strong relations with Islamabad and would intervene if necessary.
Speaking to reporters, Trump said he gets along “very, very well” with Pakistan and described the country’s leadership in positive terms. “They have a great Prime Minister, a great General. They have a great leader. Two of the people that I really respect a lot. Pakistan is doing terrifically well,” he said.
When asked whether the United States would step in to help defuse tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Trump replied, “I would,” indicating Washington’s willingness to play a role if required.
His remarks come amid ongoing strains between Islamabad and Kabul over border security and regional stability.
The comments are being viewed as a reaffirmation of diplomatic engagement between the United States and Pakistan, particularly at a time of heightened regional sensitivities.
Afghanistan’s Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani has issued a strong message addressed to the people of Pakistan amid rising tensions between the two neighbouring countries.
In a post on X, Haqqani described Pakistan as a Muslim and faithful nation that had extended significant support to Afghans in times of hardship. However, he urged the Pakistani public, political leaders, religious scholars and elders to question the direction of their country’s policies.
He stated that the people should ask their rulers where the country, economy and politics are headed, cautioning that current policies could lead to isolation from the rest of the world. Haqqani emphasized the shared history between the two nations, saying Afghans had endured periods of hardship alongside Pakistan.
“We haven’t fought the world’s armies, the world’s tanks and technologies with resources and equipment, but this nation has fought,” he said, while appealing to what he termed the Muslim nation of Pakistan to open the minds of their own army.
The remarks come at a time of heightened diplomatic strain and cross-border tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, with both sides exchanging sharp statements in recent weeks. [KNT]
