EAM: Will work towards political settlement in Afghanistan

New Delhi, July 29

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has ruled out a military solution to the Afghanistan crisis and said India “will work with the international community to ensure political negotiations are pursued seriously”.

Responding to questions from Swapan Dasgupta (BJP) in the Rajya Sabha on China’s efforts to bolster the Taliban, Jaishankar said, “We are very clear that there must be a negotiated political settlement  in Afghanistan.” India’s stance was also conveyed to the US Secretary of State Antony Blinken whom Jaishankar met for bilateral talks during his visit to New Delhi on Wednesday. The same day, China provided legitimacy to the Taliban by hosting a nine-member delegation with its Foreign Minister Wang Yi calling the militant organisation as “a pivotal military and political force” in Afghanistan.

Head of the Taliban team Mullah Baradar reciprocated by assuring Beijing that his group “will not allow any force to use Afghan territory to do anything harmful to China”. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan too called Taliban members as normal civilians. — TNS