Pakistan will not make unilateral decision on recognising Taliban regime: Fawad

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain announced on Tuesday that Pakistan does not want to take a unilateral decision on recognising the new Taliban regime in Afghanistan, and will make a decision after consulting with all relevant regional and international powers.

"We don’t want to take a unilateral decision," said Fawad, addressing a press conference in Islamabad after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan. "We are in touch with our friends, both in the region and internationally, and we will decide accordingly."

Pakistan's civil and military leadership reaffirmed on Monday that Islamabad is committed to playing its part in facilitating "inclusive political settlement" in Afghanistan, adding that the way forward for Kabul is to ensure the representation of "all ethnic groups".

Pakistan committed to inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan: NSC

The policy statement issued after the National Security Committee meeting also noted that "Pakistan was a victim" of the decades-long conflict in Afghanistan and therefore, desired peace and stability in the neighborhood.

Talking about the changes in Afghanistan, the information minister said that Pakistan is pleased that major violence had been averted so far and urged the Taliban to respect people's fundamental human rights.

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"We want the new regime in Kabul to respect international fundamental human rights," he said.

Fawad added that Pakistan's view is an all-inclusive decision on recognising the new regime.

"Pakistan is a responsible country of the international community and whatever decisions are made, they will not be unilateral or bilateral. Our decisions will be multilateral," he emphasised.

He told reporters that Pakistan is in touch with its friends in the region and internationally in its endeavour to make an informed decision.

Fawad also informed that Pakistan is in touch with different political groups from Afghanistan as well.

Pakistan is a responsible country of the international community and whatever decisions are made, they will not be unilateral or bilateral. Our decisions will be multilateral: Fawad

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told an Afghan delegation on Monday that it is important to closely coordinate the next steps for the benefit of Afghanistan and the region.

"We hope that all Afghan leaders will make efforts [for peace] in the larger interest of the country," the foreign minister said, adding that Pakistan was committed to playing a constructive role in the restoration of peace in Afghanistan.

Afghan govt has collapsed; Ghani flees to Tajikistan

In his remarks, Fawad lamented that the former Afghan president believed that he could rule Afghanistan alone. "We advised Ashraf Ghani that you cannot rule the country alone," saying that "several ethnic groups were not part of his regime and it was impossible for him to rule (this way)".

Pakistan has maintained that it is not supportive of a military takeover in Afghanistan, and sees all sides in the Afghan conflict as Afghans. Islamabad has continued to emphasise that Afghans have to decide their future.