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Imran Khan tells lawmakers Pakistan has no leverage over Taliban
Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Wednesday that Pakistan has no leverage over the Taliban group in Afghanistan.
Addressing the National Assembly, Khan said at the moment Pakistan and US interests are the same regarding Afghanistan, and that the US has reached the conclusion that there is no military solution in Afghanistan.
“Now that US is leaving they are asking Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the talks tables but we have no leverage over them (Taliban), except a few of their families live here; can we arrest their [Taliban] families and put them in jail?” Khan said.
Khan also stated that Pakistan respects the peace process and that they do not have “favorites”.
“We do not want any kind of strategic depth in Afghanistan. We do not want any favorites or choose any party in Afghanistan. Afghans are our brothers, and what they want for themselves, we shall support it,” he said.
Khan told the house that he has had meetings with the Afghan leadership, including President Ashraf Ghani, and that he told them “Pakistan wants betterment of Afghan economy for bilateral trade, and want to enhance trade relations with Central Asian nations via Afghanistan by new roads and railway links.”
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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