During comprehensive and multilateral talks between the United States, Afghanistan and Pakistan, Chief of Army Staff Ashfaq Parvez Kayani told US members of Congress that the Pakistani Army would not intervene in the wake of the deteriorating political situation in Pakistan, the New York Times reported on Friday.

The Pakistani army chief, who took power following the resignation of Pervez Musharraf in November 2007, has unlike his predecessor vowed to avoid army intervention in politics and government affairs.

The question and answer session, which took place in Washington, was part of a broader dialogue between the three partners in the ‘War on Terror’ taking place in Afghanistan. In response to a question by one US congressman, Kayani stated that the army would not intervene even if the political situation deteriorated further, the New York Times quoted an unnamed Pakistani official as saying.

Unprecedentedly, the three-way talks include top military, government and intelligence officials from all three countries. ‘These were not just photo ops,’ top US state department official for the region, Richard Holbrooke stated. ‘Meetings in this configuration have not taken place.’

On Thursday, Gen Kayani was inducted into the US military’s international Hall of Fame in a small yet refined ceremony at Fort Leavenworth.