Taliban, Haqqanis not our bet: Pakistani diplomat

AVA- “They have both brought stress to our relations with the US and Afghanistan," Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry said on Wednesday.
Addressing an event organised jointly by the John Hopkins School and LUMS, he said Pakistan’s policy had been aggressive against the terrorist groups.
“The Taliban and the Haqqanis have such a big territory available to them in Afghanistan. They do not represent the worldview that is shared by the Pakistanis.
“They are not our bet, they are not our hedge, and they are not our proxy,” the ambassador remarked, touting Pakistan’s progress in the fight against terrorism.
He said Islamabad, having squeezed space for the insurgent groups, had told the Taliban to move out of Pakistan and join mainstream politics in Afghanistan.
Chaudhry added Pakistan would not accept the Taliban coming to power by force. The only way they must share power was through the political mainstreaming and reconciliation with Kabul, he explained.