Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the Biden administration should work to further accelerate the efforts for Afghan peace process.

In an interview, he said that Pakistan is ready to work with the new US administration regarding Afghan peace process. Qureshi said Pakistan hopes for greater engagement with the new United States government and called on President Joe Biden to follow up on the ongoing Afghan peace process and withdrawal of US troops from the country.

“I think they (Biden administration) should realize there is an opportunity in Afghanistan and they should persevere with what was initiated and not reverse things,” he said. “Push them forward, because, after a long time, we have started moving in the right direction,” he said. Declaring Modi government as aggressive and irresponsible, the foreign minister said that the responsibility of initiating talks lies with the neighboring country.

He further said that before coming to the negotiating table, India would have to reverse its decisions regarding Kashmir, adding that at present there was no contact with India at any level and the world powers know how dangerous war in South Asia can be. Regarding, Afghan peace process, FM Qureshi said that Pakistan was only playing the role of facilitator for peace in the neighboring country, adding that the responsibility for peace in Afghanistan lies with the Afghan leadership and it is their country.

The minister said that he always advised the Taliban to join the mainstream whenever he met with the Taliban leadership and after coming to the negotiating table, the Taliban are now bound by international law.