ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has said it sought an inclusive government in Kabul as reports suggest Islamabad is in talks with four central Asian nations that share a border with Afghanistan in an effort to coordinate a diplomatic approach to the Taliban.
“We are consulting with all the regional countries in order to coordinate and approach […] on the issue of not only the recognition but going forward, what are the steps that are required to stabilise Afghanistan,” Pakistan’s ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram, told Al Jazeera on Friday (early Saturday in Pakistan).
“The issue of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is a special concern for Pakistan, because we have had the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which has been operating from the territory of Afghanistan, which had support from the intelligence agency of the former government, as well as the Indian intelligence agency [Research and Analysis Wing],” Akram added.
The Taliban are planning an inclusive caretaker government in Afghanistan after the group toppled the Western-backed administration in a stunning sweep earlier this month, according to an Al Jazeera report.
Citing Taliban sources, the report said the caretaker government will include leaders from all ethnicities and tribal backgrounds in the country.
Nearly a dozen names are being considered to be part of the new government. However, the duration of the caretaker government is unclear at the moment.
Afghanistan’s ethnic diversity has been at the centre of politics and conflict in the country, with no single ethnic group enjoying a decisive majority in the country of 40 million people.
The Pashtuns are Afghanistan’s biggest ethnic group, making up more than 42 percent of the population. The predominantly Sunni Muslim community speaks the Pashto language and has dominated local politics since the 18th century.
Pakistan is also bringing Afghanistan’s neighbouring central Asian nations together to pressure the Taliban to form an inclusive and broad-based government now that US forces have all but pulled out of the country.
“That’s our priority, which is to stabilise Afghanistan, for which we will need to have humanitarian assistance, reviving the economy, inclusive government, and action against terrorism,” Akram said. “So all these issues are in the mix.”
Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi — during a visit through Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Iran — told the governments their countries would benefit immensely from a peaceful and stable Afghanistan, which he said would lead to enhanced economic cooperation and connectivity.
He also underlined the importance of a coordinated approach to realize shared objectives.
Reports also suggest Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided in principle not to diplomatically recognise the Taliban until an inclusive government is formed in Kabul.
But Akram said the question of recognition will emerge only after there is a government in Kabul.
“We are hoping that the government, which they announce, will be an inclusive government, which will have representation from the different ethnicities and different groups in Afghanistan so that they can command and [secure] support throughout the country,” he said.
He further said Pakistan was also assisting with the evacuation, having flown out of Afghanistan some 2, 200 diplomats, officials of international organisations and locals who have had emergency needs.
Pakistan was also facilitating the job of personnel of the UN humanitarian agency in dealing with the emergency situation of 14 million people in Afghanistan, Akram added.
“I think if there is a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, we will see large outflows of refugees on our borders and those of other neighbours,” he said, pointing out Pakistan, already accommodating 3 million refugees, was not in a position to absorb more refugees.
“So it’s a big concern for us — we have to deal with the humanitarian situation, and we have to deal with the terrorism threat,” he said.
