ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday called for a “meaningful engagement” of the international community to “promote reconstruction and economic development” in Afghanistan — something it stressed was important to ensure peace and stability in the war-torn country.
The statement from the Foreign Office (FO) comes hours after President Joe Biden formally announced the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan to “end forever war”, rejecting calls for them to stay to ensure a peaceful resolution to that nation’s grinding internal conflict.
Starting May 1, foreign troops under NATO command will also withdraw from Afghanistan in coordination with the US pull-out, NATO allies agreed. The withdrawal of foreign troops will be completed by September 11.
Around 7,000 non-US forces from mainly NATO countries, also from Australia, New Zealand, and Georgia, outnumber the 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan, but they still rely on American air support, planning and leadership.
“Pakistan has been consistently supporting and facilitating the efforts for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the FO statement observed.
“We believe there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and a negotiated political solution through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process is important for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” it added.
“Towards this end, the US-Taliban Agreement of 29 February 2020 laid foundation for a comprehensive intra-Afghan peace agreement including a permanent ceasefire for bringing an end to violence in Afghanistan.”
Washington and the Taliban signed an agreement in February last year that called for the removal of the US and coalition forces from Afghanistan in exchange for the promise that the militant group would not allow terrorist groups to operate on Afghan soil.
Through the statement, Islamabad said it was important that the “withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan coincides with the progress in the peace process”.
“We hope that the forthcoming meeting of Afghan leadership in Turkey would be an important opportunity for Afghans to make progress towards a negotiated political settlement.”
Turkey is due to host a peace summit for Afghanistan from April 24 to May 4 meant to jump-start efforts to end the war and sketch out a possible political settlement.
“In this regard, we support the principle of responsible troop withdrawal in coordination with Afghan stakeholders. We also hope the US will continue to urge the Afghan leaders to seize this historic opportunity for achieving a political settlement in Afghanistan,” the FO said.
“Pakistan has consistently reiterated that peace and stability in Afghanistan is in our interest. Pakistan reaffirms its abiding commitment for a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan.
A meaningful engagement of the international community for promoting reconstruction and economic development in post-conflict Afghanistan is important for ensuring sustainable peace and stability.”
The statement observed that “another key feature in the efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan should be a time-bound and well-resourced plan for return of Afghan refugees to their homeland and their reintegration in Afghanistan”.
Pakistan is home to the world’s second-largest refugee population, with a total of 2.5 million Afghans living there. Many have been in the country since the Soviet invasion in 1979.
“Pakistan will continue to work together with the international community in the efforts for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan,” the statement said.
