Will decide to recognize Taliban govt alongside neighboring countries: PM
–Says failure to form inclusive govt can descend country into civil war
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that Pakistan would make a decision on whether to formally recognize the Taliban government alongside other neighboring states.
In an interview with the BBC, Prime Minister also voiced his concerns that there could be a humanitarian crisis and civil war and that an “unstable and chaotic Afghanistan” would be an “ideal place for terrorists”.
Imran Khan called on the international community to give the Taliban more time. “All neighbors will get together and see how they progress,” he said. “Whether to recognize them or not will be a collective decision.”
Talking about women’s rights in Afghanistan, Imran Khan said that women will get their rights under the Taliban, with time.
Earlier in an interview with a Russian media outlet, Prime Minister Imran Khan had said that the world has no way out but problems will increase if the US does not recognize the Taliban government and hold talks with the Afghan Taliban.
The prime minister said that Afghanistan is currently the most important issue for the entire region as the country is at historic crossroads, adding that Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan but unfortunately.
To a question about Pakistan helping the Taliban, he said, “If Pakistan helps Taliban win against the US, it means that Pakistan is stronger than the US and whole of the Europeans and so strong that it has been able to make a lightly armed militia of around 60,000 fighters, beat a well-equipped armed of 300,000.”
He said, “Unfortunately it is propaganda which has been unleashed by the firstly by the Afghan government to cover up its incompetence, corruption, inability to give proper governance to people of Afghanistan, it been perceived as a puppet government, not being respected by the people of Afghanistan and secondly it’s the India which invested heavily in Ashraf Ghani-led Afghan government but this propaganda has no logic.
Imran Khan said that Pakistan s total budget for 220 million people is Rs 50 billion, how could it have in any way supported insurgency in Afghanistan which overwhelmed the United States which spent over $2 trillion in Afghanistan in 20 years.
“How come the 300,000 Afghan armies did not fight, did Pakistan ask them not to fight, so if someone wants to know the reasons why the Taliban won and the Americans lost after 20 years, all they have to do is do a detailed analysis of why one of the bravest nations in the world the Afghan nation, why did the arm give up without a fight,” he asked.
PM Imran went on to say that from Pakistan s point of view, there is also a threat of terrorism from Afghan soil, adding that the only way for peace and stability in Afghanistan is an inclusive government.
“The Afghan people consider the war against external forces as jihad and the Taliban have learned a lot in 20 years,” he said and added the Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken had a telephonic conversation and Pakistan is working together with all the neighboring countries. TF Report
