Pakistan on Wednesday reaffirming its abiding commitment to a peaceful, stable, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan hoped that the new political dispensation in the neighbouring country would ensure coordinated efforts in that regard.
“We continue to closely follow the evolving situation in Afghanistan,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said in a statement issued about the announcement of interim political set-up in Kabul.
“We have noted the latest announcement about the formation of interim political set-up in Kabul, which will address the requirement of a governance structure to meet the urgent needs of the people of Afghanistan,” he mentioned.
#Pakistan’s @ForeignOfficePk reacts to announcement of interim government by Taliban in #Afghanistan, statement reads, “We continue to closely follow the evolving situation in Afghanistan. We have noted the latest announcement about formation of interim political set-up in Kabul”
— Anas Mallick (@AnasMallick) September 8, 2021
“We hope that the new political dispensation will ensure coordinated efforts for peace, security and stability in Afghanistan as well as work towards taking care of humanitarian and development needs of the Afghan people,” the spokesperson maintained.
ISI Chief in Kabul
The senior military delegation of Pakistan, headed by Pakistan’s Intelligence (ISI) chief has landed in Kabul for talks with the Afghan Taliban. ISI Chief Lt Gen Faiz Hamid will hold key meetings on mutual cooperation with his counterpart chief Najibullah.
Read more: Challenges Taliban cannot escape in governing Afghanistan
The visit has sparked great interest across the region and perhaps the world given that Taliban are expected to announce their government any time. Earlier it was believed that an interim government will be announced on Friday but apparently there was a deadlock between various factions of Taliban and internal talks continue.
Pakistan desperately needs stability in Afghanistan
Pakistan is not only Afghanistan’s immediate neighbour but has very deep historic, ethnic, religious and cultural ties with the country – sometimes described as a “Gordian knot”. Since the Soviet invasion of 1979, subsequent cvil war after 1987 and then the US occupation of 2001, no neighbouring country has suffered as much in human and financial losses as Pakistan.
Pakistan is thus urgently working to stabilise the situation. It is working on both ends; it is demanding the Taliban create an inclusive government that will satisfy the world and is stressing the international community to remain engaged with Afghanistan to help with normalisation.
Read more: US might recognise Taliban!
Foreign countries of Germany, UK and other European countries have already visited Pakistan on the request of Minister of Foreign Affairs. However most western countries have shifted out their diplomatic missions and have no presence on the ground and the New Taliban regime -despite its overtures to win international support – is being seen with deep suspicion by key institutions and public opinion circles across the west.
APP with additional input by GVS News Desk