In what seems to be a veiled attempt at securing international recognition for a Taliban-led regime in Afghanistan, Pakistan has stressed the need for the international community to restore ties with Afghanistan for the betterment of its people. In a carefully crafted statement, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, however, said Islamabad only desired a better future for the Afghan people.

Qureshi claimed that Pakistan was not focusing on negotiating with a particular group in Afghanistan, adding: “Pakistan wanted a government in Afghanistan which is broad-based and inclusive".

Pakistan is perceived to be a long-term ally of the hardline Islamist militia Taliban, which has ousted the US-backed government in Kabul to snatch power in Afghanistan. There have been reports that Pakistan supported the Taliban with air support and medicinal aid during the recent bloody civil war in the country.

Qureshi said he would visit Central Asian Republics of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, as also Iran to consult with the leadership of the regional countries on the situation of Afghanistan.

In a veiled reference to India, Qureshi warned against "anti-peace elements" who he described as “spoilers” and who were still active and did not want a lasting peace in the country.

Qureshi claimed Pakistan was working for an inclusive, broad-based arrangement in Afghanistan to further peace and stability in Afghanistan.

“The views of the international community are in sync with the thinking of Pakistan on the present situation in Afghanistan,” said the minister while addressing a news conference.

An indication of Islamabad’s closeness to the Taliban comes from the fact that the Pakistani embassy was one of the handful of diplomatic missions which are functioning in Kabul now.
 
Qureshi said he held conversations with a number of foreign ministers in previous days and they acknowledged that Pakistan was playing a vital and critical role in these challenging times.

The world was looking towards Pakistan and it wanted help in evacuating their nationals from Afghanistan, he said.

"We are keeping an eye on the situation in Afghanistan," he said, adding the international community wanted Pakistan to promote an inclusive arrangement in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan had a number of ethnic groups which had a role to play, he explained.

In recent days the foreign minister had talked to the high representative of the European Union, foreign ministers of Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and the OIC Secretary-General on the situation in Afghanistan.

Qureshi spoke with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and discussed with him the latest Afghan situation, the Foreign Office said in a statement. He underlined that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of critical importance for Pakistan and the region.

Qureshi also received a telephone call from Sweden’s Foreign Minister Ann Linde. During the conversation, he emphasized the international community’s sustained engagement with Afghanistan.
He said as a responsible member of the international community,  Pakistan was fully facilitating several European countries, international organizations, and media agencies to evacuate their nationals and employees and others from Afghanistan.

(SAM)