“Absolutely not,” says the PM. We are not going to accept
any bases or military activity in Afghanistan from Pakistani land. “Absolutely
not,” the prime minister said in an interview with Axios on HBO.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has stated unequivocally that
Pakistan will “absolutely not” allow the United States to utilize its territory
or bases in Afghanistan.
“Would you allow the American government to have CIA herein
Pakistan to conduct cross-border counterterrorism activities against Al-Qaeda,
ISIS or the Taliban?” the interviewer Jonathan Swan said in an extract to be
shown on the Axios website on Sunday.
The interviewer, taken aback by the prime minister's
unequivocal statement of "absolutely not," interrupts him to repeat
his remarks, asking, "Seriously?"
He said that the PTI-led government was responsible for the
termination of a previous ‘drone surveillance' facility granted to the US.
“All of the airbases are under Pakistani control. “At the
moment, no discussions are taking place in this regard since Pakistan cannot
surrender any airfield to any country,” he added.