Military escalation will damage peace process in Afghanistan: Maleeha

Monitoring Desk

NEW YORK: Pakistan’s permanent Ambassador to the United Nation, Maleeha Lodhi has appreciated the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani offer of unconditional talks to Taliban and adding that the escalation of military force will destroy the opportunity of peace in Afghanistan.

This she said while addressing in the UN Security Council debate on Afghanistan. The uses of military force in the Afghanistan will more complex the situation in Afghanistan and it will harm the peace process, she warned.

Maleeha Lodhi, added that Pakistan has advocated the restoration of peace in Afghanistan through a negotiated settlement between Kabul and the Afghan Taliban.

She added that both the Afghan government and the Taliban should grab the opportunity for peace and start negotiating the dialogue aimed at ending the prolonged conflict to usher in durable peace in Afghanistan.

Maleeha Lodhi also pointed out that the continuing presence of large numbers of terrorist groups and foreign terrorist fighters in Afghanistan pose a threat to the long-term stability of Afghanistan, its neighbors including Pakistan.

Ambassador also showed concern over growing of Daesh in Afghanistan and demanded to emphasize the need to eliminate the terrorist group to achieve durable peace in the region.

She informed that UN Security Council that the Afghan Government controls only 18 per cent of the country’s districts, and has influence in an additional 38 per cent and the remaining are in the control of these terrorists groups which are creating problems for the region.

Ambassador Lodhi also added that Pakistan requires close cooperation from the Afghan Government and coalition forces to manage the long border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Ambassador Lodhi told the council that the threat of terrorism in Pakistan today emanated principally from outside its boundaries.

In response to remarks made earlier by the Afghan Ambassador in the council, she said all parties should refrain from campaigns of vilification and coercion, adding that Pakistan’s cooperation cannot be garnered by pressure and intimidation.