WASHINGTON, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf has said that Pakistan would not accept the \u2018forceful takeover\u2019 in Afghanistan and instead support the political solution to the conflict.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will not accept a forceful takeover,\u201d he told reporters at a press conference held at the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC late Wednesday, wrapping up a week of talks with the U.S. administration.<\/p>\n
The NSA stressed that the only solution for peace in Afghanistan was a \u201cpolitical one\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have made it absolutely clear that we are with the international community on where this goes,\u201d he said. \u201cBut the world also needs to be clear that the U.S. invest in a political settlement.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Yusuf said the harsh rhetoric of the Afghan government against Pakistan was making it impossible to maintain good relations between the neighbours.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are beginning to see a very conscious, deliberate effort by the Afghan government to scapegoat Pakistan,\u201d he said, adding that Afghanistan wanted \u201cto shift the entire blame of its failures.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said Pakistan wanted to have very good relations with the Afghan government, however \u201cunfortunately, the vitriol and rhetoric coming from there is making that impossible.\u201d<\/p>\n
He urged the government of Afghanistan and the Taliban to \u201ccompromise and reach a peace settlement\u201d as the insurgents made rapid gains amid a US troop withdrawal.<\/p>\n
He stressed that the internationally recognized government in Kabul needed to stop looking for a military victory and should include a broader range of Afghans in any future talks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere will have to be some compromise given the ground reality. But the violence will have to stop,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Yusuf said his U.S. counterpart, Jake Sullivan, and others in President Joe Biden\u2019s administration did not make specific requests of Pakistan, but discussed \u201chow quickly we can get all these actors in one room to have a sincere conversation.\u201d<\/p>\n
He dismissed talk of Islamabad exerting leverage over the Taliban.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever limited leverage we had, we used,\u201d he said, pointing to Pakistan encouraging the Taliban to enter talks with the Afghan government in Doha.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow with the troops withdrawal, that leverage has logically gone down further,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Dr Yusuf said Pakistan was no longer in a position to accept Afghan refugees as it currently hosts about 3.5 million.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeace in Afghanistan is nonnegotiable for us,\u201d he said. \u201cWe, under no circumstances, are prepared to see protracted instability that in the past has caused spillover into Pakistan.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON, National Security Adviser Dr Moeed Yusuf has said that Pakistan would not accept the \u2018forceful takeover\u2019 in Afghanistan and instead support the political solution to the conflict. \u201cWe will not accept a forceful takeover,\u201d he told reporters at a press conference held at the […]<\/p>\n
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