US has no choice but to work with Pakistan: Senior US official

The US has no choice but to work with Pakistan on the way ahead in Afghanistan, says a senior US official while elucidating President Joe Biden's administrations new policy for the region.

At a discussion at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West acknowledged Pakistan's role in arranging a peace deal with the Taliban but also complained that Islamabad often ignored Washington's suggestions, Pakistan’s largest circulated newspaper “Dawn” reported.

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"I have productive, good and honest relationships with Pakistani leaders, and they have huge amounts of expertise in their system on these (Afghan) matters," he said. "And I think we don't have a choice but to work with Pakistan on the way ahead."

The moderator, former US National Security Adviser Stephen J. Hadley, however, also asked a set of questions about US-Pakistan relations, differences between Islamabad and Kabul's new rulers and the Taliban's position on TTP and the Durand Line.

The response made it clear that while Pakistan supported the peace process.

"During the life of the negotiations, from January to August, and in the years before, we were in very close touch with the leadership of Pakistan regarding steps that we urged Pakistan to take to enhance the prospects of a negotiated settlement to this conflict," West said.

"Had Pakistan taken some of those steps in a more meaningful and consistent way, I think we would be in a different place today. I genuinely do."

The response made it clear that while Pakistan supported the peace process, it did not always accept US proposals.

West also made it clear that Islamabad's reluctance often irked Washington, although the two allies continued to support the Doha talks that led to an agreement in 2020, the report said.

Indo-Asian News Service