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ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has asserted that Pakistan hopes for greater engagement with the Biden administration and called on the President to follow up on the ongoing Afghan peace process and withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.
“I think Biden administration should realize there is an opportunity in Afghanistan and they should persevere with what was initiated and not reverse things,” Qureshi said in an interview with an international news channel.
He said, “Push them forward, because, after a long time, we have started moving in the right direction.” Pakistan facilitated the intra-Afghan talks and the US-Taliban dialogue and has now called for the US to stick to the agreements.
The US had committed to reducing the number of its troops in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600 within 135 days of signing the deal, and working with its allies to proportionally reduce the number of coalition forces in Afghanistan. Currently, there are 2,500 US troops in Afghanistan.
However, Biden’s nominee for state secretary, Anthony Blinken, hinted earlier this week that an increase in violence in Afghanistan may lead to the US retaining some of its troops.
“We are concerned because we feel violence can vitiate the climate,” Qureshi said in his interview. “Pakistan has done a lot, we have really bent backward to create an environment to facilitate the peace process,” he added.
The foreign minister further said that there were “spoilers” within Afghanistan who “have benefited from the war economy” and did not want the peace process to be successful.
“There are elements from outside who do not share our vision, which is a peaceful, stable, prosperous Afghanistan,” he said, adding that it was the Afghan leadership’s responsibility to ensure that the peace process succeeds.
He also said, “Biden administration should be supportive of what, I feel, is a convergence of interests,” adding, “Our approach, thinking, objectives and shared visions are very much in line with the priorities of the new administration.”
“The US should come, compete and invest,” Qureshi said while referring to China’s investment in Pakistan. The foreign minister further said that Pakistan was also willing to mediate between the US and China if need be.