‘There was no military solution in Afghanistan’: President terms US withdrawal a ‘hasty’ call

Pakistan has reiterated that the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war was a ‘hasty call. In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, President Arif Alvi said that peace in Afghanistan would bring prosperity to the region and open a window of business opportunities for the world to connect with Central Asian Republics.

“Pakistan wants peace in Afghanistan as it would have a positive impact on the country and also on the entire region,” he said during a two-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to Radio Pakistan.

“We do not want any instability in our neighbouring country (Afghanistan) and hope to see an inclusive government representing all political stakeholders,” he told Khaleej Times.

Calling the US withdrawal from the war-torn country a ‘hasty’ choice, President Alvi said there was no military solution in Afghanistan.

“We always tried to persuade the US into avoiding war and back negotiations as a better solution.”

Reminding the world that Pakistan had been hosting four million refugees, President Alvi stressed that such a gesture must be appreciated as a matter of goodwill by the Afghan people.

“Devastation in Afghanistan means more refugees in Pakistan. We don’t want any instability in our neighbouring country and hope to see an ‘inclusive government’ representing all political stakeholders,” President Alvi said.

‘Pakistan is on the right track’

President Alvi said inflation Pakistan was not the only country facing this challenge as it was on a rise worldwide.

“Inflation is high because commodities and oil prices are increasing in the international market. However, the government will be taking steps to control the food inflation through supply chain mechanism and good governance,” he told Khaleej Times.

He remained hopeful that Pakistan was on the right track and that its future was bright.

“The government has managed to register close to four per cent GDP growth rate in last financial year despite the pandemic,” added the President to support his stance.

About the Expo 2020 Dubai, President Alvi said it was a great event, and credit goes to the visionary leadership of UAE for hosting a successful show despite a challenging environment worldwide.