Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Process Visits Pakistan
Islamabad … News Time
Pakistan once again reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to peace and positive role in Afghanistan and facilitating it. That peace in Afghanistan is essential to the stability of Pakistan and possible steps will be taken for that purpose. Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Process is visiting Pakistan once again. He had a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Armed Forces Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. The meetings focused on regional and particularly Afghan peace process. In the meetings, Pakistan reiterated its principle stance that the use of force is not the solution to the problem. Peace in Afghanistan is only possible through political dialogue and we believe that the reconciliation process will be restored soon.
Meetings inform Pakistan’s military and political leadership at the level of Afghan Taliban and US delegation and Pakistan’s role in peace in Afghanistan was appreciated. Through the process of the meetings, questions have arisen that the outcome of the negotiations depends on the United States and a formal announcement is expected after the suspension of talks with the Taliban. Will the negotiations resume or the negotiations be finalized after 9 periods of negotiations between the United States and the Taliban?
In-depth review of the situation in Afghanistan and the Afghan peace process, it can be said that President Trump himself needs to declare the decision regarding Afghanistan and especially the success of the talks. Because it was President Trump who promised his people that they would ensure the withdrawal of their forces from different countries around the world, especially Afghanistan to reduce the war burden of billions of dollars a year on the United States and spend this money on the American people. President Trump, who at first appeared to be targeting Pakistan, then returned to the position of Pakistan that seemed to give credence to the world, including Pakistan, the United States. That the US and NATO forces cannot establish their domination over Afghanistan, nor can the puppet governments they formed establish their writ here. And the same happened for 18 years, the United States and other Western countries could not achieve their goals by sending billions of trillions of dollars here and because of the reaction here, the United States and NATO forces moved into a swamp where it was not possible to escape. And the local administration was not in a position to provide any assistance to them.
Later, while reading the log wall, the US approached the Pakistani position and Pakistan played an effective role in bringing the US and the Taliban to a table. And when the deal reached a turning point after nine periods in Doha, President Trump himself justified an attack in Kabul and announced the suspension of the deal. To which the Taliban responded, saying that when the agreement was not signed, what question of breach? He said that eventually the United States would have to approach the Taliban to resume negotiations and that was what happened and the negotiation process began.
The main question in the new situation is why the US, in the 9 different periods between the Taliban, reconsidered things in the long run? Progress on the planned issues can be ensured in Afghanistan, but it remains to be seen who is hindering it. The biggest hurdle is the Ashraf Ghani administration in India and Afghanistan, who are unable to digest that the Taliban will once again be established in Afghanistan. That is why they are mobilizing their lobby in the United States. The Pentagon and other US officials have earlier called for Trump to suspend the deal, and he still does not want the deal to be signed. But this agreement is an American requirement and the US understands that its interests can be ensured in the event of a deal. And there can be progress in establishing peace in Afghanistan. Therefore, it is imperative that the US refrain from conspiring against the aforesaid treaty with its ally India in the region and urging your puppet Ashraf Ghani administration not to become a tool can only help the peace process succeed.
The Indian media is calling the peace treaty an economic threat to India. India recognizes the success of the Afghan peace process in terms of Pakistan’s importance in the region and the future of C-PAC. Because peace in Afghanistan is not only needed by Pakistan itself, regional forces, especially China, Russia and Iran, also want peace in Afghanistan in their own interests. Chances are that the United States wants progress on the final status of a deal with the Taliban before the start of the New Year so that could result in the withdrawal of US forces and President Trump in his campaign to cash in on the situation in Afghanistan. The Ashraf Ghani administration understands that its future should be determined before the deal otherwise, the status quo will be lost after the agreement and this fear is not letting the Ashraf Ghani administration live.
