Islamabad, Sep 24 (Agency) Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan expressed hope that the United States, China, and Russia would facilitate the restoration of peace in and recovery of Afghanistan, in an interview with the US Newsweek news outlet published on Friday. Khan told the media that the wars that have ravaged Afghanistan for 40 years have had a “devastating impact” on the country. But now, the prime minister sees a hope of establishing a lasting peace in Afghanistan and the whole region. “It is our hope that Afghanistan will be stabilized, through humanitarian help, economic support, and connectivity and infrastructure projects, and that the U.S., China and Russia will all contribute to pacifying and reconstructing Afghanistan,” Khan said.
The Pakistani official pointed out another acute problem in today’s Afghanistan, which is rivalry among local powers. This might spark still more violence in the country, Khan supposes, saying that “this would create new flow of refugees, escalate the threat of terrorism from Afghanistan, and destabilize the entire region.” In addition, Khan said that the Afghan government appointed by the Taliban (terrorist group, banned in Russia) was still transitional, and Pakistan would consider recognizing it when it stabilizes its control of the country. The decision to recognize the government, however, should be made alongside Afghanistan’s neighbors. The Taliban entered Kabul in mid-August, and announced the next day that the war was over. On August 31, the American troops left the airport in Kabul, which meant the end of the US military presence in Afghanistan. On September 6, the last province not to surrender to the Taliban, Panjshir, fell to the militants. Afterwards, the Taliban declared a new interim government headed by Mohammad Hasan Akhund, who has been on the UN sanctions list since 2001.