ISLAMABAD, 28 August 2021, (TON): The United States and Pakistan have a shared interest in working together in Afghanistan, National Security Adviser Moeed Yusuf said “in a phone interview with The Washington Post. But the NSA pointed out that cooperation would require fixing the bilateral relationship by “moving past problems”.

“Afghan instability could lead to more terrorism, refugees and economic hardship for Pakistan,” Moeed Yusuf said while speaking with Josh Rogin, who worked the interview into an opinion piece which appeared in the newspaper under the headline, “Pakistan wants to be treated like an ally, not a scapegoat”.

Columnist Rogin said “it was unfortunate that instead of addressing Pakistan’s reservations, the country was being indicted by American media for its alleged support to Taliban over the years. He suggested Washington to seriously consider Pakistan’s offer of cooperation.

Moeed Yusuf said in reply to a question “right now, in the situation we are in, how are US and Pakistan’s interests not aligned.”

Te NSA said “I’m not asking for any sympathy for Pakistan.”

Josh Rogin noted that Pakistan stands perennially accused of providing safe haven for the Taliban, but on the other hand officials in Islamabad point out that Pakistan had lost soldiers, as well as thousands of non-combatants, at the hands of extremists since 9/11.