Excluding Afghan govt from peace talks will be futile exercise, says Mian Iftikhar

PESHAWAR: Awami National Party (ANP) central General Secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain on Friday said that peace talks excluding the Afghan government would be a futile exercise.

Speaking at a function organised by the Bacha Khan Trust Educational Foundation at the University of Peshawar, the ANP leader said that an independent foreign policy was in the interest of Pakistan. He said that the region’s development and prosperity was not possible without friendly relations with the neighouring countries. “The success of the peace talks in Afghanistan depends on the sincerity of the stakeholders,” he said, adding, a clear policy for handling Daesh besides the peace talks was also important. The ANP leader said Pakistan’s past foreign policies had not only created problems for the country but the nation also suffered. International situation had changed and it required Pakistan and Afghanistan to change their failed foreign and domestic policies, he added.

“Both the counties should frame policies for furthering their national interests,” he said, adding, the policies adopted for benefiting the super powers had destroyed the peace in the region. “We are the followers of Bacha Khan and want peace in the world,” he said, adding, war was not solution to problems and every issue could be resolved through talks. “We preferred talks for restoration of peace in Malakand division. The government resorted to the use of force after the Taliban violated peace agreement,” he recalled. He said the US asking Pakistan to play a role in the Afghan peace process was actually a ‘do more’ demand, which the government of Pakistan portrayed as a request.

He stressed that peace in Afghanistan won’t be fully achieved without giving China and Russia a role in the peace talks.He pointed out that India had maintained its relations with Russia but at the same time it didn’t oppose US. “The government should learn a lesson from the flawed policies of Musharraf and Zia,” he argued.

Afghanistan is the biggest market for Pakistan and the government should strengthen trade relations with its neighbours after the Kartarpur corridor opening, he added.