Don't blame Pakistan for the outcome of the war in Afghanistan: PM
Engaging with the new Afghan government to ensure peace and stability is the right thing to do: PM
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan is not to be blamed for the fact that 300,000-plus well-trained and well-equipped Afghan security forces saw no reason to fight the lightly armed Taliban. The underlying problem was an Afghan government structure lacking legitimacy in the eyes of the average Afghan.
PM Imran, in his article in American newspaper, said that, while watching recent congressional hearing, he was surprised to see that no mention was made of Pakistan’s sacrifices as a U.S. ally in the war on terror for more than two decades. Instead, we were blamed for America’s loss.
The premier added that since 2001, he has repeatedly warned that the Afghan war was unwinnable. Given their history, Afghans would never accept a protracted foreign military presence, and no outsider, including Pakistan, could change this reality.
“Unfortunately, successive Pakistani governments after 9/11 sought to please the United States instead of pointing out the error of a military-dominated approach. Desperate for global relevance and domestic legitimacy, Pakistan’s military dictator Pervez Musharraf agreed to every American demand for military support after 9/11. This cost Pakistan, and the United States, dearly.”
Imran Khan stressed that Afghanistan is at another crossroads but we must look to the future to prevent another violent conflict in that country rather than perpetuating the blame game of the past.
He said that he is convinced the right thing for the world now is to engage with the new Afghan government to ensure peace and stability. The international community will want to see the inclusion of major ethnic groups in government, respect for the rights of all Afghans and commitments that Afghan soil shall never again be used for terrorism against any country.
Taliban leaders will have greater reason and ability to stick to their promises if they are assured of the consistent humanitarian and developmental assistance they need to run the government effectively. Providing such incentives will also give the outside world additional leverage to continue persuading the Taliban to honor its commitments, he added.
