ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today (Thursday) said it is important the withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with progress in the peace process after US President Joe Biden announced to end the longest foreign war in American history.
The Foreign Office, in a statement, said Pakistan had been consistently supporting and facilitating the efforts for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. “We believe there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan,” it added.
The Foreign Office hoped the forthcoming meeting of Afghan leadership in Turkey would be an important opportunity for Afghans to make progress towards a negotiated political settlement.
“We support the principle of responsible troop withdrawal in coordination with Afghan stakeholders and hope the US will continue to urge the Afghan leaders to seize this historic opportunity for achieving a political settlement in Afghanistan,” it added.
The FO further said, “A meaningful engagement of the international community for promoting reconstruction and economic development in post-conflict Afghanistan is important for ensuring sustainable peace and stability.”
“Pakistan will continue to work together with the international community in the efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the Foreign Office added.
A day earlier, in a nationally televised address, Biden had said the US would “hold the Taliban accountable” on promises to keep international extremists from setting up base in Afghanistan.
“We will ask other countries in the region to support Afghanistan, especially Pakistan, as well as Russia, China, India, and Turkey,” he added. Dubbed the “forever war,” the US military onslaught in Afghanistan began in response to September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.
