Don’t lend Taliban legitimacy, US asks Pakistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): The United States has asked Pakistan to deny legitimacy to the Afghan Taliban as long as they do not meet global demands.

Testifying before Congress on the Taliban victory, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was pushed by legislators for a tougher policy on Pakistan.

International media outlets quoted Blinken as saying the Biden administration would be looking at its relationship with Pakistan in the coming weeks.

Pakistan had a multiplicity of interests, including those that were in conflict with America’s, Blinken told the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday,

He added: “It one that’s involved harbouring members of the Taliban. It is one that’s also involved in different points [of] cooperation with us on counterterrorism…”

The US would like to ensure the Taliban allowed people who want to leave Afghanistan and respect the rights of women, girls and minorities, the secretary of state said.

Blinken added: “Pakistan needs to line up with a broad majority of the international community in working toward those ends and in upholding those expectations.”

PAN Monitor/mud