'Talibanised' Afghan not in Pak's interest: Kayani

Rawalpindi, Feb 2: Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said Islamabad would never want a 'Talibanised' country as Afghanistan.

Speaking with foreign journalists, Kayani said peace and stability in Afghanistan were crucial to Islamabad's long-term interests.

"We can't wish for anything for Afghanistan that we don't wish for ourselves," he said.

Kayani clarified that Pakistan has no interest in establishing its control over Afghanistan.

"We want a strategic depth in Afghanistan but do not want to control it," Kayani said.

Kayani said he had told NATO commanders during the Brussels meet that Islamabad's strategic paradigm needs to be fully realised.

He pointed out that fighting against terrorism was in Pakistan's own interests and that it would not deter in eliminating extremism from its soil.

"Pakistan has suffered the maximum in terms of human and economic losses because of terrorism and violent extremism, but it has not dented the resolve of the nation and armed forces to fight and eliminate the terrorism in accordance with our national interests," Kayani added.

OneIndia News