Pakistan ambassador to United States, Hussain Haqqani said that Pakistan and the US are not heading towards war and Islamabad firmly shares the US’s goal of peace in Afghanistan.
Addressing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Haqqani said, “The US goal of peace in Afghanistan is firmly shared by Pakistan, but the two nations face hurdles that include anti-American sentiments in Pakistan.”
He said that Pakistan and the US both agree they need to work towards reconciliation.
He said, “A lot of times the problem is a very small number of people, dedicated and violent, who want to impose their will by using arms.”
Haqqani said the comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to a congressional committee on Thursday that the US was seeking negotiations with Afghan insurgents, while fighting them on the battlefield at the same time were ‘positive.’
“Why can’t we just talk to them and get a settlement? Absolutely, we would love to do it. If you have Mullah Omar s address please send him a letter on our behalf to come to the talking table,” Haqqani said.
“The problem is one can not be half-engaged in these negotiations. Do the Taliban have a vision of where they want to be? Are they willing to be part of a pluralist Afghanistan in the future?,” he asked. He said Pakistan will “do everything to facilitate discussions with all elements within the Taliban that can be reached.”
He said comments, including Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s, who suggested Afghanistan would support Pakistan if military conflict broke out between Islamabad and Washington were premature. He clarified, “Pakistan and the United States are not going to war.” He said, “Sometimes people forget there are unresolved issues in Pakistan, including a societal debate about the role of religion and the long struggle toward democratic government.”
“My request to Americans is to be patient with Pakistan,” he said.
