WASHINGTON: US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said on Friday that Prime Minister Imran Khan’s stance on Afghanistan had the potential to positively transform the region and give Pakistan a leading role.
In a statement on Thursday, the prime minister underlined Pakistan’s unconditional support for the Afghan peace process and urged the Taliban to call off their spring offensive.
“Greatly appreciate Imran Khan’s statement yesterday on Afghanistan,” Ambassador Khalilzad wrote in a tweet. “His appeal for reduction of violence and policy against promoting internal conflict in other nations has potential to positively transform the region and give Pakistan a leading role,” he said.
Mr Khalilzad also attached to his tweet a link to Mr Khan’s statement, which points out that the Afghan conflict has brought great suffering for both Afghanistan and Pakistan over the last 40 years.
The US envoy, who leads the US team in peace negotiations with the Taliban, expressed similar views in a statement on Thursday, noting that recent civilian casualties in Afghanistan indicated that this war “has gone too long”.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2019
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