Asif terms Afghan Taliban a 'political force'

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif on Thursday said that negotiations between the Afghan government and Afghan Taliban would be a dialogue between two "political forces", which Islamabad would support.

Addressing a seminar on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the minister reiterated that there is no military solution to the Afghan issue as the Taliban are a political force in Afghanistan.

He further the United States' interests were not above Pakistan's interests, and added that he believes Pakistan will soon come out of the situation of uncertainty.

"Today the entire nation is reaping what General Musharraf sowed; we have been facing difficulties because of that, but we would not sacrifice our interests for safeguarding America's interests in any case."

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Speaking with regard to India, the minister said that such a neighbour that does not like peace, adding that the US should definitely urge for Pakistan-India talks, but before that Washington should balance its policy on South Asia.

He went on to say that he has seen people who think of their institutional or personal interests as national interest.

"This practice needs to be ended," Asif said, adding that national interest is above all interests.

The foreign minister, in a post on social media, also expressed support for President Ashraf Ghani's peace initiative.