The former US special envoy for Afghanistan reconciliation, Zamlay Khalilzad, at the Islamabad Security Dialogue said there ‘has to be a broad support’ approach in Afghanistan.
Talking to the audience, the former US diplomat highlighted the positive and negative points of the recent changes in Afghanistan. He discussed the deal signed on February 29th, 2020, between him and Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is now the first deputy prime minister.
Afghanistan was reportedly on the agenda of the Islamabad Security Dialogue.
“This has been an opportunity for Afghanistan and for the region in my view—that this US adjustment– and it faces a couple of alternative futures–one positive and one negative–and we all will have a role in that, in my view though,” he said. “On the positive side, the war has ended already, there is a government that controls all Afghanistan. But on the negative is that the government doesn’t – is not legitimate in the sense that it doesn’t come through with what it agreed to do in the agreement that ended the war—meaning the US war. Which was that a new government will be as a result of intra-Afghan negotiations, so that it reflects the diversity… it doesn’t mean that individuals have to be in the central government, but there has to be a formula that has broad support.”
The Islamic Emirate denied Khalilzad’s remarks as his personal opinion.
“Khalilzad is now a (private) individual and has no position neither representing any country nor an organization, and his opinions are personal and everything is now ongoing based on commitments,” said Bilal Karimi, deputy spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
Talking at the same forum, Chief of the Army Staff of the Pakistan Army, Qamar Javed Bajwa, expressed frustration over the situation in Afghanistan.
“We must ensure that the 40 million Afghans who face terrible conditions are not forgotten. The consequences of our inability to address the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan will not lead to refugee crisis but will again make Afghanistan an epicenter of terrorism where Daesh and its global agenda flourishes, which may result in more than one 9/11,” he said.
“This present unique opportunity to stabilize Afghanistan and build sustainable peace–the international community can achieve that by engaging with Afghan authorities, unfreezing Afghanistan’s financial reserves and reviving reconstruction and sustainable development of Afghanistan, said Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan.
To consider the recognition of the current Afghan government, the international community has made the formation of an inclusive government, women’s rights as well as respecting human rights, the preconditions.
