Pak's Imran Khan govt initiates dialogue with Taliban for 'inclusive govt' in Afghanistan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan announced on September 18 that he has begun talks with the Taliban in order to build an inclusive administration in Afghanistan. 

Pak PM wrote on Twitter, "After mtgs in Dushanbe with leaders of Afghanistan's neighbours & especially a lengthy discussion with Tajikistan's President Emomali Rahmon, I have initiated a dialogue with the Taliban for an inclusive Afghan govt to include Tajiks, Hazaras & Uzbeks."

Pakistan PM initiates dialogue with Taliban

He added, "After 40 years of conflict, this inclusivity will ensure peace & a stable Afghanistan, which is in the interest not only of Afghanistan but the region as well."

During his two-day visit to Tajikistan, where he arrived to attend the 20th Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State (SCO-CHS) in Dushanbe, the prime minister met with the leaders of regional countries. On the sidelines of the SCO Council of Heads of State meeting, he met Tajikistan President Emomali Rahmon, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, Iranian President Dr Ebrahim Raisi, and Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Imran Khan on Taliban administration

Meanwhile, breaking his silence on the Afghanistan crisis, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, on September 18, said that instead of attempting to "manage the country from the outside," there is a need to "incentivise" the Taliban's new leadership in order to end the continuing crisis.

Imran Khan stated that Afghanistan is at a historic crossroads and that the country could see peace after four decades if the Taliban worked towards an inclusive government, but he also stated that this would only happen spontaneously, and not if other countries attempted to pressurise the terrorist regime. In the absence of this, Imran Khan asserted that terrorism was unavoidable. "But if it goes wrong, which is what we are really worried about, it could lead to chaos, biggest humanitarian crisis, a huge refugee problem, unstable Afghanistan, and the possibility of terrorism from Afghanistan's soil," he added.

When questioned about concerns that the Taliban will not defend human rights, particularly those of women and children, Pakistan's Prime Minister said it is a "mistake" to believe that someone from outside would grant Afghan women their rights, basically asking for the status quo to be maintained. He noted, "Afghan women are strong. Give them time, they will get their rights," he said. "You cannot impose women's rights from abroad." 

Image: AP