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ISLAMABAD, (MANEND NEWS): Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that said that
following the United States withdrawal, Afghanistan faces a difficult transition from the
past 20 years of a US-NATO supported governance structure. The Taliban appear to have
gained control over the entire country, for the first time in 40-years. There is, therefore, a
hope that security can be established throughout Afghanistan. A peaceful Afghanistan
will be beneficial for Pakistan, opening up possibilities for trade and development
projects, he said. He said that Pakistan desires to promote a comprehensive, not selective,
approach to neutralizing of terrorists’ threats from Afghanistan. We will cooperate with
the international community, including the U.S, in this effort.
In an essay written in the “Newsweek” PM Imran Khan said that however, Afghanistan
faces a humanitarian crisis due to the Covid pandemic, conflict and the failures of the
previous governments. This must be addressed as a priority. Also, we need to work with
the authorities in Kabul, to neutralize terrorists’ groups present in Afghanistan,
particularly the TTP which has been responsible for thousands of terrorist attacks against
Pakistan.
Replying another question, PM Imran Khan said that for its part, the United States has
divested a liability – its costly military intervention – which, as the U.S. President has
himself admitted, was not a strategic priority for the United States. Both Pakistan and the
United States need to prevent terrorism emanating against from Afghanistan. To this end,
we should cooperate to help in stabilizing Afghanistan by addressing the humanitarian
crisis in that country and supporting its economic recovery. Of course, there may be an
immediate negative impact in the U.S. due to the chaotic nature of its evacuation from
Kabul. The U.S. has withdrawn voluntarily from Afghanistan. Therefore, I don’t think
that the U.S. withdrawal will erode U.S. credibility globally in the long term.
As for China –if China offers economic support to Afghanistan, it’s natural that the
Afghans will accept it. The Taliban have welcomed the prospects of being incorporated
in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and establishing close relations with China.
PM Imran Khan said that however, the U.S. too can play an important and positive role in
Afghanistan by providing humanitarian assistance, contributing to Afghanistan’s
recovery and reconstruction, and cooperating in containing terrorism from Afghanistan.
During the Doha peace process, the U.S. established a working relationship with the
Taliban. There was direct cooperation between the U.S. and the Taliban during the
evacuation process. I believe that the U.S. can work with a new government in
Afghanistan to promote common interests and regional stability.
Replying another question, Prime Minister Imran Khan said that the Taliban have
established an “acting government” and will no doubt announce a more permanent
governance structure later. Pakistan is obliged to engage with the de-facto authorities in
Afghanistan to prevent an economic and humanitarian collapse in this neighboring
country and the resurgence of terrorism. He said that once a government in Kabul
establishes control over the entire country, it would legally qualify for recognition.
However, Pakistan would prefer to reach a decision regarding recognition of the new
government together with other neighbors of Afghanistan.
Replying another question PM Imran Khan said that there is indeed a plethora of terrorist
groups which, taking advantage of the conflict in Afghanistan, located themselves in that
country. Pakistan is extremely concerned about the threat of terrorism from Afghanistan,
particularly from the TTP, which has conducted thousands of attacks against Pakistan
from the territory of Afghanistan with the sponsorship and support of certain hostile
intelligence agencies. The TTP has also been responsible for most of its attacks on
Chinese citizens working in Pakistan, perhaps with the support of the East Turkmenistan
Islamic Movement (ETIM). Pakistan will work with the authorities in Afghanistan to halt
TTP and other terrorism from Afghanistan.
PM Imran Khan said that Pakistan desires to promote a comprehensive, not selective,
approach to neutralizing of terrorists’ threats from Afghanistan. We will cooperate with
the international community, including the U.S, in this effort. We understand that the
U.S. military support to India is designed to contain China, including through the so-
called Quad. He said that Pakistan has its own views on the credibility of this strategy. In
our view, India will never confront China, especially not to serve U.S. strategic
objectives. India’s purpose in arming itself so massively is to establish its hegemony in
South Asia and specially to threaten and coerce Pakistan. Seventy per cent of all Indian
military capabilities are deployed against Pakistan, not China. Therefore, Pakistan has
legitimate concerns about the provision of the most advanced weapons and technology to
India. Apart from increasing the likelihood of a conflict, an arms race in South Asia will
divert both India and Pakistan from investing in socio-economic development and the
welfare of their people.
Replying another question prime minister said that Pakistan’s relationship with China is
70 years old. It covers economic, technological, military and other sectors. Throughout
this time, Pakistan has simultaneously maintained a close relationship with the United
States as well. Indeed, it was Pakistan which first brought the U.S. and China together in
- We see no reason for our strategic partnership with China to erode our ability to
continue a cooperative relationship with the United States. We believe that the current
US-China rivalry is unnecessary and contrary to the interests of both these global powers.
Cooperation between them would be beneficial to both and is essential to address the
myriad global problems we face – the COVID pandemic, the economic crisis in the
developing world and the existential threat of climate change. We hope that both Beijing
and Washington will reach the same conclusion in the near future.
Replying a question, PM Imran Khan said that we attach importance to the SCO as a
regional organization grouping the countries in the Asian heartland. At the SCO Summit,
I will present Pakistan’s viewpoint about the situation and present the possible way out to
address the challenges posed to the region due to the current situation in Afghanistan.
If India adopts a positive position in relations with Pakistan, the SCO could serve as a
useful platform to promote stability and prosperity across this vast area of the Asian
Continent.
Replying a question he said that China has already invested around 25 billion dollars
under the umbrella of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Additional
projects worth 20 billion are under implementation. Projects worth a further 25 billion
dollars are in the pipeline. The COVID-19 pandemic may have slowed the
implementation of some projects. However, the CPEC’s objectives are being achieved on
schedule and their implementation will be accelerated in the future. The United States
and G7 initiative – “Build Back Better World” – has been welcomed by Pakistan. We do
not see this as being in competition with the China’s “Belt and Road Initiative”. It is an
initiative which can contribute to building the infrastructure and other projects which are
so vital to enable developing countries to achieve their development objectives and the
Sustainable Development Goals.
Replying a question PM Imran Khan said that Al-Qaeda, the organization responsible for
9/11, has been decimated in Afghanistan, largely due to Pakistan-US counter terrorism
cooperation over the past 20 years. However, the root causes of terrorism – the
underlying conflicts and disputes, and economic and social injustice – have not been
addressed. As a result, the ideology and narrative of terrorist groups has proliferated
across several regions of the world, including Africa, and new terrorist organizations
have emerged. In addition, anti-Muslim extremist movements and terrorist groups have
emerged in several parts of the world. We see the strongest manifestation of such
Islamophobia in India’s extremist Hindutva ideology which has unleashed state-
sponsored terrorism against the Muslims of occupied Jammu and Kashmir and the 200
million Indian Muslim “minority”. The world needs a new and comprehensive global
counter terrorism strategy to address these new manifestations of terrorism.
Replying another question he said that four decades of war and conflict has had a
devastating impact on Afghanistan’s economy, society, and polity. There is a ray of hope
today to end the “long war” and bring peace, stability and development to Afghanistan
and the broader region. The last thing Pakistan wants is more conflictand turbulence in
Afghanistan. After 20 years of military intervention in Afghanistan, the international
community cannot exonerate itself from its responsibilities towards the people of
Afghanistan. It must stay engaged with Afghanistan. It is our hope that Afghanistan will
be stabilized, through humanitarian help, economic support, and connectivity and
infrastructure projects and that the US, China and Russia will all contribute to pacifying
and reconstructing Afghanistan. On the other hand, if rivalry persists within Afghanistan,
and between regional states and global powers, it could lead to a new round of violence
and conflict in Afghanistan. This would create new flow of refugees, escalate the threat
of terrorism from Afghanistan and destabilize the entire region, PM Imran Khan
concluded.