Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan took a jibe at the United States, saying he considers Pakistan ‘useful’ in dealing with the ‘mess’ left in Afghanistan after 20 years of fighting and when it comes to being ‘strategic’. If so, India gives priority to partnership’.
President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal of US and NATO forces from Afghanistan by August 31. Violence in Afghanistan has increased significantly since the announcement. “Pakistan is considered useful only in dealing with the mess that has arisen after 20 years of trying to find a military solution,” Khan told foreign journalists.
US treats Pakistan differently: Imran Khan
Khan told a journalist present at the press conference that ever since the US decided to enter into a “strategic partnership” with India, it has been treating Pakistan differently. Pakistan is upset that Biden has not held talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan since becoming president in January. Pakistan’s National Security Adviser Moeed Yousuf recently expressed his dismay that President Biden is reluctant to approach Prime Minister Khan, despite considering Islamabad as an important country on some important issues like Afghanistan.
Yusuf said Islamabad had “other options” if the US leaders continued to ignore the country’s leadership. However, the US State Department has assured Pakistan that the US recognizes Pakistan’s important role in restoring peace in Afghanistan and wants Pakistan to play that role. US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa over the phone this week and discussed the current situation in Afghanistan.
After the talks, the Pentagon said that the US has spoken to the Pakistan leadership about the need to destroy Taliban militant bases near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, as these safe havens are creating more insecurity and instability in Afghanistan. . Afghanistan and the US have been critical of Pakistan for providing shelter and other aid to Taliban fighters.
Difficult to find solution to Afghan crisis: Imran Khan
Prime Minister Khan told foreign journalists that finding a political solution to Afghanistan’s problem is difficult, as the Taliban is unwilling to negotiate with the Kabul government unless President Ashraf Ghani takes the lead. He said Taliban leaders told him during a visit that the Ghani government was a puppet. “The condition is that as long as Ashraf Ghani is there, we (the Taliban) will not talk to the Afghan government,” Khan quoted Taliban leaders as saying.
Khan has taken a tough stand on the hasty withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. There is an atmosphere of panic in Afghanistan due to the withdrawal of US forces. Khan also reiterated that Pakistan will not allow US forces to host their withdrawals, but it is not clear whether the US has formally requested for it.
Pakistan said it has used its influence to pressure the Taliban to hold talks with the US and the Afghan government to find a political solution to the crisis. Khan had last month questioned the US intention, saying the US had “really messed things up there (in Afghanistan).”
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