US has really messed it up in Afghanistan, there never was a ‘military solution’: PM

While speaking to PBS NewsHour, when asked about the situation of Afghanistan with US troops completely out after 20 years, PM said that political reconciliation is the only solution to the Afghan issue.

“I think the US has really messed it up in Afghanistan. First of all they tried to look up for a military solution in Afghanistan, when there never was one. And people like me, who kept saying there is no military solution, were called anti-American and Taliban Khan.

When they [US and NATO] finally decided that there is no military situation, unfortunately, the bargaining power of both forces had gone. When there were hundred and fifty thousand troops in Afghanistan, that was the time to go for a political solution, once they reduced the troops and gave an exit date, the Taliban thought they had won and now it’s very difficult to get them to compromise.  And its’ very difficult to force them into a political solution, because they think they have won,” he said.

Imran Khan said that the only good outcome for Afghanistan is a political settlement which is inclusive like forming government that includes all sorts of factions there including Taliban.

“The worst situation in Afghanistan would be a civil war and a protected civil war and from Pakistan’s point of view that would be the worst scenario. Any kind of unrest and anarchy in Afghanistan will directly affect Pakistan and it will have to face multiple problems. We revived the national economy after hectic efforts and now it cannot bear burden of more Afghan refugees,” he said.

Imran Khan further stated that there is 1500 kilometers long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan and for the first time, Pakistan constructed fencing along the Pak-Afghan border by spending a huge amount.

Responding to a question about elections in Afghanistan, the premier said that the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani should have delayed the elections, as it would have provided an opportunity to Taliban to participate in the political process.

Imran Khan further stated that Pakistan had nothing to do with 9/11 and New York incidents as no Pakistani national was involved in the incident.