‘New, civilised Afghan Taliban’ prefer talks to guns: Pakistan interior minister

Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rashid Ahmed told reporters on Sunday that a “new, civilised Afghan Taliban” would prefer talks to guns.

He also said Islamabad would accept any government in Afghanistan that has the backing of the Afghan people, Dawn News reported.

According to him, all stakeholders in Afghanistan should come to the negotiating tables to find a political settlement so as to ensure the country does not plunge into yet another civil war.

“The dialogue with Taliban will be in the interest of all. We will support peace in neighboring country Afghanistan,” he said.

Rashid told reporters that Pakistan wants peace in the region. “If China wanted to invest 400 billion dollars in Iran, it will not be possible without peace in Afghanistan. The train we want to bring to Uzbekistan is not possible without stability in Afghanistan. China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan are in a changed region,” he said.

Rashid also said the fencing of the Durand Line between Afghanistan and Pakistan had put Pakistan in a better position than in the past.