No military solution to Afghanistan conflict: Pakistan PM Imran Khan

Islamabad: In a continued move to promote peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday held a significant meeting with top Taliban leaders in Islamabad and reiterated that there was “no military solution to Afghanistan conflict.”

Pakistan facilitating intra-Afghan talks

The discussion focused on the Afghan peace process and the way forward for the intra-Afghan negotiations. Imran Khan maintained that the intra-Afghan talks provide a “historic opportunity to Afghan leaders” for durable peace and stability through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.

Taliban political commission delegation, led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, held a crucial meeting with Pakistan’s prime minister on the final day of the three-day visit (December 16-18). Taliban’s visit “is part of Pakistan’s serious efforts to facilitate the Afghan peace process to achieve a peaceful, stable, united, independent, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan” the official statement said.

PM warned against peace spoilers

Khan underscored “Pakistan’s consistent support to an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.” He also warned about the “role of spoilers” that continue to attempt to disrupt and derail the peace process.

Reduction in violence is critical

PM Khan expressed concern over the high level of violence and called on all sides for reduction in violence leading to a ceasefire. The return of peace and stability in Afghanistan would provide a strong impetus to economic development, regional connectivity, benefitting Afghanistan and the region, he said. In a phone call this week with Afghanistan President Ashraf Gani, the Pakistani premier restated Pakistan’s steadfast support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process leading to a political solution to the conflict.

Reduction of violence in Afghanistan vital for peace

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that the Afghan Taliban are eager to move towards a reduction in violence paving the way for ceasefire and peace in Afghanistan, which Pakistan believes is crucial for regional peace. Peace in Afghanistan is “essential for peace and stability in the entire region”, Qureshi said after meeting Taliban delegation on December 16. The next meeting on Afghan peace process would be held on January 5, 2021.

The visit by the Taliban team comes immediately after the meeting of US special envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, and General Austin Scott Miller, US commander in Afghanistan, with Pakistan’s Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa, to discuss the resumption of peace talks after a three-week break in intra-Afghan talks. Pakistan’s role as a mediator has been crucial in bringing together the Afghan stakeholders to the negotiating table that culminated in the landmark US-Taliban peace deal 2020.