Won't accept forceful takeover of Afghanistan: Moeed Yusuf

ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - National Security Adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf has clarified that Pakistan will not accept a forceful takeover of Afghanistan.

Underscoring the need for a politically negotiated settlement of the Afghan conflict National Security Adviser said that Pakistan cannot afford instability in Afghanistan under any circumstances.

After concluding week-long talks with the US administration, Moeed Yusuf, while addressing a press conference he dismissed the notion that Pakistan had any influence over the Taliban.

“Whatever limited leverage we had, we used,” he said, pointing to Pakistan encouraging the Taliban to enter talks with the Afghan government in Doha.

Yusuf said that his US counterpart Jake Sullivan and other officials in President Joe Biden s administration did not make any specific requests to Pakistan, but discussed how quickly we can bring all parties to the Afghan conflict together for sincere talks.

Referring to the burden of Afghanistan s long war on Pakistan, he said that as a result, Pakistan is still home to 3.5 million Afghan refugees. In any case, Pakistan is not ready to face long-term instability in Afghanistan because of its effects on Pakistan in the past.