Afghans will have to put their house in order: Nabeel Munir

NEW YORK: Pakistan on Wednesday made it clear that the country cannot rid itself of terrorism until Afghanistan eliminates safe heavens for terrorists within its territory.

During a debate on Afghanistan’s situation, Pakistan's representative to United Nations, Nabeel Munir, said peace cannot be restored in Afghanistan only through use of force.

“The only way to achieve the objective of establishing peace in Afghanistan is through making a serious and meaningful effort towards this goal,” he said.

He said Pakistan had in the past played a role of a facilitator in the direct negotiations between Afghanistan and Taliban and that Islamabad is ready to play that role again.

Pakistan would extend every possible cooperation to Afghanistan in improving security situation there but the people of Afghan will have make efforts to put their own house in order.

In August this year, Afghan officials had visited Islamabad to discuss the revival of suspended talks with the Taliban which faced deadlock after the announcement of Afghan Taliban's founder Mullah Omar's death in July.