Khan backs Biden’s decision on troop pullout

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): US President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan was the most sensible thing to do, the Pakistani prime minister believes.

In an interview aired on Sunday, Imran Khan stoutly defended Biden’s decision as a rational step, saying the American leader was being subjected to unfair criticism.”

Speaking to Russian broadcaster RT, Khan referred to former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani’s escape from the country and the ANA surrender days before foreign forces’ exit.

“How can you prepare for that?” asked the premier, who said: “There has been so much unfair criticism of President Biden…”

In response to a query, Khan said he was not sure whether the US had any coherent policy on what it was going to do in Afghanistan.

He went on to urge the US to devise a strategy if a humanitarian crisis erupted in Afghanistan due to a possible halt to international aid.

Pakistan was working with all neighbours of Afghanistan on a mechanism to recognise the Taliban government, the prime minister added.

Afghanistan would collapse if the world imposed sanctions on it, he warned. “Around 75 percent of the country’s budget is through aid, and if this assistance is stopped, the country will fall.”

PAN Monitor/mud