WASHINGTON, Aug 22 (APP): Pakistan is working with the Afghans and the extended “Troika”, which includes United States, Russia, and China, to ensure that the Taliban live up to the promises and declarations about upholding human rights that they have made to the international community, Ambassador Asad Majeed Khan said on Sunday.
In an interview with a Fox 5 News programme, he also said that Pakistan was fully focused on helping in whatever way possible in the evacuation and repatriation of those who wish to leave Afghanistan.
Asked about the Taliban pledge to respect women’s rights, the Pakistani envoy said that the group has not conducted itself the way everyone feared, referring to the opening of schools and allowing female news anchors to come in public.
“So, I think, there is some room for optimism so far,” Ambassador Khan added.
He said that Pakistan, like all others in the international community, was watching what the Taliban do and how they do but the feedback they were getting is that, barring the airport, there were no incidents of violence from the rest of Kabul and Afghanistan.
Replying to a question, Ambassador Khan said that Pakistan had suffered most from the conflict in Afghanistan, loosing 80,000 Pakistani lives and incurring economic damages worth about $150 billion.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, has been a consistent advocate for years that there is no military solution to the conflict and that the only way forward is through dialogue and engagement between all parties.
“That is precisely what we are trying to do, even as things develop and evolve so rapidly that they defied all assessments and surprised everybody and shocked everybody,” the Pakistani envoy added.
To another question, Ambassador Khan said Pakistan has consistently maintained that Afghanistan territory should not be used against any country, including Pakistan and the United States, because instability ungoverned spaces that provides safe havens to miscreants.
As regard repatriation of those wishing to leave Afghanistan, Ambassador Khan said that the Pakistani embassy was working round the clock, issuing visas.
Until yesterday, he said, Pakistan had repatriated 1800 diplomats, foreign nationals and
Afghans working for foreign missions and international agencies and that process was going on.
“I think in terms of what the international community should do, its very important that we all work together.”
