Pakistan calls on Afghan government, Taliban to make concessions to reach peaceful settlement

SANAA, Aug. 05 (YPA) –  Pakistan’s national security adviser Moeed Yusuf said Wednesday that the Afghan government and the Taliban must both make concessions to reach a peaceful settlement.

Speaking to reporters at the end of a week-long talks in Washington, Yusuf said: “We have made it absolutely clear — we will not accept a forceful takeover.

The internationally recognized government in Kabul  needs to stop looking for a military victory and needs to include a broader range of Afghans in any future talks.

“Some concessions have to be made, given the ground reality. But the violence will have to stop,” he added.

Yusuf said that his US counterpart, Jake Sullivan, and others in President Joe Biden’s administration did not make specific requests of Pakistan but discussed “how quickly we can get all these actors in one room to have a sincere conversation.”

E.M