Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday said the US must remain engaged in Afghanistan’s reconstruction efforts even if it withdraws its troops from the war-torn region.
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Speaking at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, Qureshi said: “Peace in Afghanistan is ultimately a shared responsibility and Pakistan alone cannot do all that is needed”.
The foreign minister further warned the United States to not neglect the war-torn country as it had done in 1989 after the withdrawal of Soviet troops.
“Do not repeat the ’80s,” he said, adding: “Even if there is a successful agreement, challenges will remain there, so the United States and its friends and coalition partners will have to have a more responsible withdrawal.
Earlier, the Taliban gave the U.S. envoy their offer for a temporary cease-fire in Afghanistan that would last between seven and 10 days according to reports. The cease-fire offer was handed to Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar where the Taliban maintain a political office.
Last September, the Taliban and the U.S. appeared close to signing the peace process before the Taliban claimed responsibility for Kabul bomb attacks which killed one U.S. soldier. This prompted President Donald Trump to scrap the talks.
