UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi has said that peace in war-torn Afghanistan can only be achieved through negotiations and reconciliation, not by the continuing resort to military force, as the two approaches are “incompatible”.
“The promotion of a political settlement and the pursuit of a military solution in Afghanistan are mutually incompatible,” Lodhi said while speaking in a debate in 193-member UN general assembly on the situation in Afghanistan.
Maleeha Lodhi said that pursuing both those options would lead to more suffering and deep instability.
The ambassador said that Pakistan has consistently proposed a political settlement as the most viable course to end the conflict and suffering in Afghanistan, adding that Islamabad is ready to help in promoting a peace dialogue.
In stressing the need for a political settlement in Afghanistan, the Pakistani envoy pointed out that 16 years of war, waged by the world’s most powerful forces, have not secured a military solution.
“Neither the Coalition and Kabul, nor the Afghan Taliban, can impose a military solution on each other,” she told the assembly.
While the international community has a role to play in promoting peace in Afghanistan, the solution must be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned, the Pakistani envoy said while highlighting Pak-Afghan religious and cultural bonds.
Lodhi said that Pakistan remains ready to help in promoting such a dialogue, noting that its participation in every regional and international initiative for peace and reconciliation is a testament to this commitment. She said that Pakistan has continued to engage in all processes designed to promote a political solution — the Heart of Asia, 6+1, International Contact Group, Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG), Moscow Format, and the Kabul process.
The Pakistani envoy also called on the Taliban to abandon violence and come to the negotiating table.
“Progress however will be assured only when the Afghan parties themselves conclude that there is no military solution to the Afghan war, and peace can be achieved only through an unconditional dialogue.”
At the outset, Lodhi said that apart from the Afghan people, Pakistani citizens have suffered the most from decades of war and violence in Afghanistan. She added that Pakistan has also offered unprecedented hospitality and support to the Afghan people, hosting some three million refugees over the years.
Unfortunately, she said, the security situation in Afghanistan has significantly deteriorated, with increasing numbers of civilian casualties.
“There is no justification for the indiscriminate attacks against women, children and men,” she stressed.
While underscoring the nexus between terrorism and drug trafficking, the envoy said that terrorist groups pose a serious threat to Afghanistan and the region. She said that the protracted conflict has also prevented the region from recognizing its potential.
Maleeha Lodhi said that Pakistan has conducted the largest anti-terrorism campaign in the world at its border, and in doing so has paid a heavy price. She said that more than 27,000 Pakistanis including thousands of soldiers have been killed.
“We have a long border which is not easy to control,” she emphasized while noting the various ways, Pakistan is securing, strengthening and reinforcing security measures that include monitoring and controlling the border for effective management.
The ambassador said that such measures can play a vital role in stopping the cross-border movement of terrorists. She hoped that the Afghan government would respond positively.
Lodhi further said that Pakistan envisages a future of even closer economic cooperation with Afghanistan, actively promoting the TAPI gas pipeline and the CASA 1000 project aimed at addressing the energy needs of the region.
