Islamabad: 30 July 2021 (TDI)
On Thursday, Imran Khan spoke with Afghan media representatives in Islamabad. He reiterates that no military solution to the Afghan conflict exists. He emphasized that the only solution to Afghanistan’s peace and stability is an inclusive government.
The Prime Minister expressed regret over recent accusations made by Afghanistan against Pakistan. He claimed that no country has worked as hard as Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table. Pakistan has done everything possible to find a political settlement in Afghanistan. He further stated that Pakistan seeks stability in Afghanistan to get access to Central Asian countries. In this regard, Pakistan also had struck an agreement with Uzbekistan for a railway project that would run through Afghanistan. Furthermore, he said if there is a civil war in Afghanistan, it will have a spillover effect in Pakistan. This is the last thing Pakistan wants, given that it has already lost 70,000 lives in the fight against terrorism and has poor economic conditions. Imran Khan stated unequivocally that Pakistan has no favorites in Afghanistan and would no longer pursue a policy of strategic depth.
When asked about future relations with Afghanistan, the Prime Minister expressed confidence that once the situation there calms down, we would have the best partnership possible. He claims that this bond will become stronger with each passing year as both countries need each other.
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