Imran Khan endorses takeover of Afghanistan - Times of India

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan on Monday endorsed the takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban saying the insurgent group has “broken the chains of slavery”.
Referring to the developments in Afghanistan, Khan said that an enslaved mind can never do great things. “Only original thinking, not copies, prosper in the world,” he said, while slamming the adoption of clothing of different cultures. “When you adopt someone's culture you believe it to be superior and you end up becoming a slave to it.”
Later on, Khan chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC), Pakistan’s top civil-military body for decisions on security and foreign affairs, which was convened to deliberate on the emerging situation in Afghanistan. The civil-military leadership discussed latest developments in Afghanistan and their possible impact on Pakistan and the region and endorsed US president Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from the neighbouring country.
The NSC noted that Pakistan remained committed to an inclusive political settlement in the war-ravaged country as the way forward representing all Afghan ethnic groups.
It was endorsed that Pakistan would continue to work with the international community and all Afghan stakeholders to facilitate an inclusive political settlement in the country.
The participants also stressed that the principle of non-interference in Afghanistan must be adhered to despite claims by several countries that Pakistan’s military establishment was allegedly the main sponsor and supporter of the Afghan militants.
Khan directed that all possible facilities be made available to repatriate Pakistanis, diplomats, journalists and staff of international organizations seeking to leave Afghanistan.
The NSC reiterated Pakistan’s stance that the conflict in Afghanistan never had a military solution. “The ideal time to end the conflict through negotiations might have been when the US and Nato troops were at the maximum military strength in Afghanistan,” read a handout issued after the meeting. “The continuation of foreign military presence for a longer duration now would not have yielded a different outcome. Therefore, endorsement by the Biden administration of the previous US administration’s decision of troops withdrawal is indeed a logical conclusion to this conflict,” it stated.
“It is now time for the international community to work together to ensure an inclusive political settlement for long term peace, security and development of Afghanistan/ the region,” the statement added.
Earlier, foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who met a delegation of Afghan leaders at the Foreign Office, urged the international community to cooperate and provide economic assistance for making the situation better in Afghanistan.
Qureshi said that he had presented Pakistan’s point of view in the meeting with the delegation, which comprised representatives from all Afghan ethnic groups, and got the opportunity to understand the expectations the Afghan leaders have from his country.
“We do not want Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries to face the effects of turmoil and chaos over there,” he said.
A day earlier, Qureshi had said that “when the time comes, Pakistan will recognise the Taliban government in line with international consensus, ground realities, as well as Pakistan’s national interests”.

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