Pakistan on Thursday welcomed Nato plans for a phased withdrawal from Afghanistan beginning next year, but warned against any move that could plunge its neighbouring country back into civil war. At a summit in Lisbon last week, the 48 countries with troops in Afghanistan agreed to begin transferring parts of the battlefield to local police and military, and move Western troops into a supporting role by the end of 2014. We will welcome the withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan as and when it happens, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Abdul Basit told reporters in Islamabad. But obviously we would not like Afghanistan to be left on its own, he said.