US Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken ahead of his trip to discuss Afghanistan with international stakeholders. (Nov 8) Photo: Twitter/@SecBlinkenUS Special Representative for Afghanistan Thomas West has said that Washington does not need Pakistan or any other country to facilitate communication with the Afghan Taliban. In response to another question, West also rejected the suggestion that the US needed Pakistan's airspace for operational access to Afghanistan. The US special representative stressed the need for continued diplomacy with the Taliban government to ensure that they kept their commitments to fight terrorism and provide rights to all Afghans. Referring to Pakistan, West said that not only Pakistan, but the entire Muslim world had an incredibly important and credible role in establishing a relationship with Afghans.

Source: The Express Tribune October 24, 2022 21:06 UTC