UNITED NATIONS, March 13: Pakistan has said that the key to success in Afghanistan imbroglio lies in pursuing a comprehensive approach with emphasis on building the country’s capacity to assume greater control and ownership on security, governance and development issues.

Addressing the UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Pakistans Ambassador to the United Nations Munir Akram said: “Pakistan has a direct and vital stake in the success of the international community’s efforts in Afghanistan and hopes for a closer coordination and consensus on a strategy for success in Afghanistan.”

Appreciating the secretary general’s latest report on Afghanistan, he observed that “what is most needed is better implementation, enhanced coordination and fulfilment of reciprocal commitments by Afghanistan and its international partners”.

He said that “putting security as a pre-requisite for development and assistance can prove to be counter-productive” and it was important to pursue the development track while the security issue was being addressed.

“We are trying to help reconciliation through the Peace Jirga, whose next meeting will be held in Pakistan.” Mr Akram pointed out that Pakistan was a major contributor in Afghanistans reconstruction and economic development.

Earlier, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Under-Secretary-General for Peace-keeping Operations, told the council that the insurgency was “more ruthless than we ever imagined,” and that “a massive illegal drug economy thrives in the vacuum of state authority”.

He added that the fledgling democracy’s governmental institutions were “fragile and without capacity,” and despite its commitment and generosity, the international community had been “insufficiently united on key issues of policy”.