Imran Khan said – Taliban will not talk to Afghan government until Ashraf Ghani remains President

Amid large-scale fighting between Afghan forces and the Taliban, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that as long as Ashraf Ghani remains the country's president, the terrorist group will not talk to the Afghan government. Talking to foreign journalists in Islamabad, Imran Khan said that in the current situation, political settlement is looking difficult.

Pakistan's The News International quoted Imran Khan as saying, 'I tried to persuade the Taliban three to four months ago, when they came here.' Imran further said, 'But put a condition that as long as Ashraf Ghani is there, we (Taliban) are not going to talk to the Afghan government.'

The Afghan government has been critical of Islamabad for increasing instability in the region as Kabul believes that Pakistan aids the Taliban in escalating violence in Afghanistan. Recently, the people of Afghanistan started a campaign on social media blaming Pakistan for the deteriorating situation in the country.

At the same time, President Ashraf Ghani has appointed a new Chief of Army Staff. The Taliban is increasingly occupying several key areas of Afghanistan. Meanwhile, on Wednesday, President Ashraf Ghani appointed a new Chief of Army Staff in an effort to give a befitting reply to the Taliban. Haibatullah Alizai has taken over as the new Chief of Army Staff, replacing Wali Mohammad Ahmadzai.

Due to the escalating violence in the country by the Taliban, the situation is deteriorating badly as the terrorist group is looting people and killing civilians after capturing many areas from the government.

The Taliban intensified their offensive against Afghan forces soon after US forces began withdrawing from Afghanistan in large numbers following the signing of a peace deal between Washington and the Taliban in February last year.