ISLAMABAD – As the US urged Pakistan to use its influence over the Afghan Taliban, Prime Minister Imran Khan while quoting the latter said the Taliban will not going to talk to the Afghan government as long as Ashraf Ghani is there.
The premier while speaking with foreign journalists at his residence said insurgents negated to negotiate as long as the incumbent Afghan President is there. A political settlement was looking difficult under current conditions, he mentioned while adding that he tried to persuade the Taliban around three to four months back when the senior leadership of insurgents visited Pakistan.
I tried to persuade the Taliban to come to a some sort of a political settlement, but unfortunately taliban refused to talk to Ashraf Ghani, the condition is that "as long as Ashraf Ghani is there, we (Taliban) are not going to talk to the Afghan government." PM @ImranKhanPTI pic.twitter.com/Il6CN5rkAO
— PTI (@PTIofficial) August 12, 2021
Khan further added that the Afghan government was now trying to ensure the US government intervenes on its behalf. “They’ve been here for almost two decades and what will they do now that they did not do for 20 years?” he asked.
Commenting on US pressure to be a part of negotiations, he said “Pakistan is just considered only to be useful in the context of somehow settling this mess which has been left behind after 20 years of a military solution”.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/07-Aug-2021/afghanistan-asks-pakistan-at-unsc-meeting-to-help-dismantle-taliban
“Pakistan had made it very clear that it does not want any American military bases on its soil after US forces exit Afghanistan”, he reiterated.
Furthermore, Khan mentioned that the US has chosen its arch-rival India as its ‘strategic partner’ in the region, and that’s the reason it was treating Pakistan differently.
US fears Kabul could fall in 90 days amid rapid Taliban gains
