New Delhi:
Pakistan on Sunday urged all sides to follow restraint, saying there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. This came after US President Donald Trump cancelling a secret summit with Taliban leaders and his Afghan counterpart. Trump last week tweeted that secret meetings that were to be held at Camp David with Taliban leaders and the Afghan president on Sunday had been cancelled following a bombing in Kabul last week. “They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, in order to build false leverage, they admitted to an attack in Kabul that killed one of our great soldiers, and 11 other people,” Trump tweeted about the Taliban.
“I immediately cancelled the meeting and called off peace negotiations,” the US president had said.
While reacting Pakistan Foreign Office said: "Pakistan has always condemned violence and called on all sides for restraint and commitment to pursue the process. Pakistan said that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and urges that both sides must re-engage to find negotiated peace from the ongoing political settlement process."
It said Pakistan has been facilitating the peace and reconciliation process in good faith and as a shared responsibility, and has encouraged all sides to remain engaged with sincerity and patience
At least 16 people were killed in a massive blast claimed by the Taliban in Kabul. "Sixteen killed, 119 wounded in last night’s attack. The explosion was caused by a tractor filled with explosives,” interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi on September 3 had said.
Some 20,000 US and NATO forces remain in Afghanistan after formally ending their combat role in 2014.
Fearing a return to power of the hardline Taliban, many worry the deal and subsequent negotiations will lead to a reduction in personal freedoms and limited women’s rights that modern Afghans have grown accustomed to.
US troops were first sent to Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001 attacks carried out by Al-Qaeda, which was sheltered by the former Taliban regime. Washington now wants to end its military involvement—the longest in its history—and has been talking to the Taliban since at least 2018.
