QUETTA: Chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Mahmood Khan Achakzai has urged Pakistan, Iran, China and region’s other countries to play their role in promoting rehabilitation and development in war-torn Afghanistan.

Speaking at a press conference at his residence on Saturday, he said in the neighbouring country all kinds of people, including rulers, generals, judges and ulema, were simply confused after the sudden change in the situation across the country.

Other prominent leaders of PkMAP, including Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, MPA Nasarullah Zerey, Essa Roshan, Dr Hamid Achakzai and Syed Liaquat Agha, were present on the occasion.

Mr Achakzai, however, exp­ressed the hope that after a long, long war the situation would improve and the Afghan people would finally be able to enjoy peace.

He said that people who believed in freedom and loved their country as well as the world, acknowledge that Afghan people were not only a hospitable people but they cherished their independence.

“Afghanistan is among the few countries that have never compromised on their independence and freedom,” said the PkMAP chief.

He said that establishing a democratic system in Afghanistan was the responsibility of the United States, but it did not fulfill this obligation. The US committed a “big atrocity” by holding negotiations with the people who were fighting in Afghanistan but ignored the elected government of the country in the negotiation process.

“Direct negotiations with the Taliban was a big defeat for the United States,” he said, adding that the withdrawal of US forces from the neighbouring country followed the same pattern as that of its pullout from Vietnam.

Mr Achakzai said that America’s stance that it was fighting in Afghanistan mainly for its own security and for stopping attacks on its soil should be taken as a lesson by other countries.

He said a new war against Pakistan, Iran and China could not be ruled out and it was time for the region’s countries to realise that they needed to “arrange their security themselves”.

Mr Achakzai said it was the responsibility of the three countries to “play a role in protecting Afghanistan”.

Referring to the possible migration of Afghanistan’s people, he said that according to international law no country should stop migration of people in situations similar to that of Afghans.

“People coming from Afghan­istan fear more destruction and civil war in their country. They should be allowed to cross over into Pakistan,” Mr Achakzai said.

The PkMAP chairman said that in the situation arising in the region it was the responsibility of the rulers to convene a grand consultative meeting of all stakeholders, including politicians, generals, judges, to evolve a joint strategy to deal with the crisis.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2021