ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said US have decided that India will now be their strategic partner.
“Islamabad is not taking side of any one in Afghanistan. Americans have decided that India will now be their strategic partner. Pakistan has made it clear that it does not want any US base in the country after US forces draw down from Afghanistan. In US sight Pakistan remains there now to clear their 20 years old mess in Afghanistan”, PM said this while talking to foreign journalists here at his residence Thursday.
In view of US Pakistan is considered useful in the perspective of clearing this mess, he said adding US is left behind in its efforts to finding a military solution to Afghanistan in 20 years while there was no military solution to Afghanistan.
He held US will withdraw its forces from Afghanistan on August 21 after 20 years of overthrowing the government of Taliban in 2001. But when US is leaving Afghanistan now, Taliban have occupied Afghanistan areas more than before.
In the prevailing situation a political settlement in Afghanistan looks difficult, he said.
When Taliban had come to Pakistan to reach any settlement then he had tried to convince them, he underlined.
According to PM, Taliban had said that as long as Ashraf Ghani is there they would not talk to Afghan government.
Pakistan has made it clear on US that it does not want any more US base on its soil after US draw down from Afghanistan, he underscored.