Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pledged to help reduce violence in Afghanistan and work towards a ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan troops, during a visit to the country on Thursday neighbor ravaged by war since 2001.
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"
We note with concern that the level of violence is increasing, despite the discussions in Qatar
" between the Taliban and the Afghan government, Imran Khan told reporters after meeting with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on his first visit to Kabul since his election in 2018. "
Pakistan will do everything, everything possible, to help reduce this violence and move towards a ceasefire
," added the head of the Pakistani government, whose country is long date accused by Kabul of supporting the Taliban.
Violence has increased in recent weeks in Afghanistan, despite the opening in September in Doha of peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government.
They are above all the work of the Taliban, who thus seek to influence the peace process, which has for the moment been at a standstill.
Imran Khan pointed out that it was Pakistan that first persuaded the Taliban to speak in Washington.
These discussions led to the signing in Doha in February of an agreement confirming the withdrawal of American forces by May 2021.
Tight relationships
He also praised Pakistan's efforts in opening the Doha negotiations.
"
We, the people and the government of Pakistan, have only one concern (...), we want peace in Afghanistan
", he affirmed.
Diplomatic relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been strained for many years.
Many Afghans blame their neighbor for interfering in the internal affairs of their country, aiding the Taliban and deliberately destabilizing Afghanistan.
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Islamabad has consistently rejected these accusations, even though many Taliban leaders live in Quetta, southwest Pakistan, and insurgents have in the past enjoyed wide freedom of movement on the border with Afghanistan.
Last week, Islamabad for its part criticized Afghanistan for letting India set up camps on its soil for the training of groups aiming to attack Pakistan.
Both New Delhi and Kabul have denied these accusations.
Ghani, whose calls for a ceasefire have been repeatedly rejected by the Taliban, reiterated his wish for an immediate truce.
“
Violence is not the solution,
” he said.
In the past six months, the Taliban have carried out 53 suicide attacks and carried out 1,250 explosions, which have killed 1,210 people and injured 2,500, Afghan Interior Ministry spokesman Tariq Arian said Thursday.
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