Afghanistan ready for foreign troop pullout: Ghani

KABUL (Pajhwok): President Ashraf Ghani says Afghanistan is fully ready for the withdrawal of foreign troops after 20 years of their presence in the country. For the first time in decades, a real opportunity for peace had emerged, Ghani said at a security meeting at the Presidential Palace.

He maintained the security forces were prepared to defend their homeland and Afghanistan’s sovereignty. The Taliban did not have any religious justification for continuing the war, which had been slammed by Muslim scholars across the world, the president commented.

Ghani renewed his government‘s interest in continued peace negotiations and asked the Taliban to demonstrate sincerity of intent. “Now is the time for Pakistan to decide on friendship or enmity with Afghanistan. If our country is in turmoil, Pakistan will also be in turmoil,” he added.” The president continued the neighbour would have to choose between friendship and enmity with Afghanistan.

In case of friendship, he said, Afghanistan was willing to cooperate with Pakistan. In this way, he hoped, the ground for regional prosperity would be paved.