Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir deserve national recognition for pursuing a resolute and farsighted Afghan policy that safeguards Pakistan’s core interests, business leader Shahid Rasheed Butt said on Thursday. He said the government’s clear and firm approach has restored strategic coherence to a region long muddied by covert alliances and proxy ambitions. The policy, he added, places Pakistan’s sovereignty, border security, and water integrity above all else, which has gained support across the country.
Butt, a former president of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce, warned that Afghanistan appears to be playing with fire at India’s behest. Any attempt to obstruct Pakistan’s water flows, he cautioned, would not be treated as a diplomatic lapse but as “an act of war.”
Pakistan’s rivers are not bargaining chips; they are lifelines for agriculture, energy, and national survival, he said, adding that recent signals from Kabul point toward a dangerous drift toward Indian-backed manipulation of shared waters. Pakistan has shown restraint, but patience must not be mistaken for weakness. Any unilateral action will invite a calibrated sovereign response.
He credited the Prime Minister’s Afghan doctrine for prioritizing deterrence and strategic clarity. He praised the Field Marshal’s leadership for keeping both eastern and western flanks vigilant and fortified, ensuring the country’s defense.
Butt also condemned Afghanistan’s continued tolerance of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan sanctuaries, terming it a direct assault on Pakistan’s sovereignty and regional stability. By allowing cross-border attacks and refusing to rein in militants, Kabul is undermining its own obligations, he said.
He urged the Afghan government to abandon its policy of appeasement toward militant groups. He warned that the consequences of continued aggression would rest squarely on Kabul’s shoulders.
Afghanistan must choose wisely, Shahid Rasheed Butt said. Peaceful coexistence is possible, but never at the cost of Pakistan’s vital interests. No state, however emboldened by foreign patrons, will be allowed to threaten our hydrological or national security.
