No military solution to Afghan conflict: Pakistan President

Pakistan’s President Mamnoon Hussain said there was no military solution to the problem in Afghanistan and emphasised the need for political dialogue to resolve the issue.

His comments at the opening of parliament session came amid increased violence in Afghanistan after the Taliban refused to join the peace talks and launched their annual fighting season last month, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Pakistan encouraged the Taliban to send a delegation of its Qatar-based Afghan representatives to Islamabad in late April to discuss prospects for peace talks.

However, the Afghan government also did not sent its delegation following the 19 April deadly attack in Kabul.

“Peace and stability in Afghanistan is imperative for peace in the region. This objective can be achieved through reconciliation among the stakeholders and there is no military solution to this problem,” Hussain told parliament.

He also referred to the efforts by the Quadrilateral Coordination Group of Afghanistan — China, Pakistan, the US and Afghanistan — to facilitate talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban.

“Although some recent incidents in Afghanistan have hindered this process, we are still confident that these efforts will succeed,” the Pakistani president said.

Senior diplomats from the QCG group met in Islamabad last month and agreed that “violence serves no purpose and peace negotiations remain the sole option for a political settlement in Afghanistan.”