The United States’ Special Representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador ZalmayKhalilzad, voiced his hope that the Afghan government can reach a side-dealwith Pakistan, with the latter’s support for the Taliban being animpediment to better relations in the past.
As the United States has started to expedite its withdrawal process fromAfghanistan, especially in light of President Trump’s recent announcementto “bring troops back” by December, the plodding pace of the negotiationsbetween the Taliban and the Kabul government continues to persist.
According to Khalilzad, speaking recently at the University of Chicago’sPearson Institute, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan, and military chiefGen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, has been “helpful” in the diplomatic process -adding that, “we are seeking an agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistanas an adjunct to an internal peace”.
Critics, especially in Afghanistan and Pakistan’s historic rival India, seeIslamabad as using its comprehensive military and intelligence apparatus toback Taliban violence as a means to exert influence on its neighbour. Tothis, Khalilzad added that both countries would, “agree that theirterritory will not be allowed to be used against the other by extremistgroups or groups that would undermine the security of the other”.
Read Top Stories
Khalilzad mentioned that “There are economic reasons that would betransformative for the region should peace in Afghanistan come”, addingthat he saw economic incentives for Pakistan, which suffers severe powershortages and could import power from electricity-rich Central Asia if theAfghan government and Taliban reach a deal.
