WASHINGTON: Responding to a question about the Haqqani network, Pakistan’sAbassador in US Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said Pakistan’s message to them andtheTaliban “is very clear”.

The “Taliban and Haqqanis are Afghanis and they should become part of thepolitical mainstream in Afghanistan”.

This, therefore, would make what he called a “comprehensive ‘Afghan-led’and ‘Afghan-owned’ political solution”.

The Taliban and the Haqqani network need to part of the Afghan politics,the Pakistani Ambassador to the United States said during a talk on Friday.

In his address at the Kashmir Solidarity Day being celebrated at thePakistani Embassy here in the city, Ambassador Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhrystressed that the Afghan issue does not have a military solution.

Chaudhry was discussing the rising tensions between India and Pakistan andurged the US, as well as the global fraternity, to raise their voicesagainst Indian brutality in Kashmir — something that has seriouslyaggravated over the past few days.

Pakistan’s relations with the US should be based on mutual respect, theambassador said, noting that any kind of concerns and suspicions may bedetrimental to the bilateral relations.

Consequently, “apprehensions and concerns” in the linkage betweenWashington and Islamabad would be counterproductive to the ongoinganti-terrorism operation and significantly impact the Afghan peace andstability process.

Chaudhry also underscored that for peace to prevail in Afghanistan, itsleadership needs to be consulted as well and that the Taliban and theHaqqani network need to part of the Afghan politics.