PESHAWAR, Oct 21: Backing Islamabad’s decision of assisting the United States in its war on terrorism, Dr Mohammad Khalid Raza Zakori, a prominent spiritual leader from Dera Ismail Khan and the president of the Ittehad-ul-Mashaikh Pakistan (IMP), has  said that only a broad-based government could help end the Afghan conflict.

“The war-torn country needs a broad-based government acceptable   to all segments of the Afghan society and the world community and only such a consensus government could ensure peace in Afghanistan and prosperity in the entire region”, said the Pir of Zakori Sharif, while speaking at a press conference here on Saturday.

Though the Taliban controlled 90 per cent of the Afghan territory, the situation had totally changed in the backdrop of the Sep 11 attacks on the US, and that was why there was a greater need to have a broad-based government in Kabul — acceptable to all the regional and world powers, he added.

Proposing Loya Jirga as the most appropriate and effective way to resolve the Afghan conflict amicably, he said the former king, Zahir Shah, should be given a role at least for a transitory period to help his country and people to lead a normal life.

He said that by extending support to the US-led allied forces, Pakistan not only managed to thwart threats to its nuclear installations from India, it also helped to isolate India, frustrating latter’s attempts to take a lead role under the current situation.