United Nations, Dec. 24 (TNS): Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi emphasised that peace in Afghanistan cannot be restored by the continuing resort to military force. She said neither Kabul and the Nato coalition, nor the Afghan Taliban, could impose a military solution on each other, state media reported on Sunday.
“The promotion of a political settlement and the pursuit of a military solution are mutually incompatible. You cannot kill and talk at the same time,” the Pakistani envoy told the UN Security Council during an open debate on the situation in Afghanistan.
“Another resort to the military option will not produce a result different from the past. It will not break the impasse much less yield a political solution,” Lodhi said, urging the Taliban to give up violence and stressing that the other side, too, must display a genuine desire for dialogue.
She said the violence and terrorism afflicting Afghanistan are the consequences of foreign military interventions, occupation and an imposed war.
Sustainable peace in Afghanistan is only achievable through a negotiated end to the war, a course long advocated by Pakistan, she said.
