Politician terms Loya Jirga only solution in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD (NNI): A Pukhtoon nationalist politician and leader of the NWFP-based Awami National Party described convening of Loya Jirga as the only viable solution to the crisis in Afghanistan.

In an interview with IRNA, Haji Muhammad Adeel appealed to all the warring Afghan factions to help in convening of the Loya Jirga. He said his party wanted an end to the war in Afghanistan. Saying that the ANP and the Islamic Republic of Iran had identical policies on Afghanistan, he said that both wanted broad-based government there.

He elaborated, "we (ANP) and Iran believe that all the Afghan nationalities should live in peaceful coexistence with each other". He said the Untied States first promoted fundamentalism in Afghanistan and Pakistan and now is fighting against it.

He also criticized US policy towards Iran and China, saying Washington wanted to isolate both these countries. "We demand of the US and its western allies to end the propaganda against Iran and China and pay respect to the people of these countries", he said.

He claimed that the US was trying to pit India against China and for this purpose it had been promoting ties with New Delhi. Besides, he added, US also wanted to set up a market in the region for which it is inclined towards India.

About Iran-Pakistan relations, he said both the countries have deep religious and cultural relations and they should further promote these ties. He said Iran had always helped Pakistan in the time of need and the Pakistani people have never forgotten this help.