ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif says Trump administration’s militaristic approach in Afghanistan represents a failed policy and advised that talks with the Taliban should be held to bring peace to the war-torn country.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said peace talks with the Taliban could be arranged if Washington works with regional countries having influence over the militant group. He said a four country group including Pakistan, China, the US and Afghanistan could be expanded to include other countries with influence over the Taliban. Khawaja Asif said he would tell the UN members that peace should return to this area and force was not an option.
Earlier this month, the foreign ministry hinted at bringing a ‘paradigm shift’ in its foreign policy in view of the fast-changing situation on regional and international fronts, particularly after the new US strategy on Afghanistan and South Asia.
He also said the change was necessitated by recent developments “which are perhaps the biggest since the World War II”. While he said Islamabad was not seeking confrontation with the US, he made it clear that relations with Washington would now be driven by Pakistan’s national interests.
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