Immediately after assuming office as president of Afghanistan, president Ashraf Ghani undertook the bold but controversial move of adopting a conciliatory approach toward Pakistan to secure Islamabad�s cooperation in bringing the Afghan Taliban to the negotiating table.

Over the past two years, Ghani has come up with several messages to Pakistan to persuade the neighboring nation to accomplish its responsibility in the fight against terrorism and brokering purposeful peace negotiation talks with the Taliban group.

In his latest message to Pakistan, Ghani reiterated calls to Pakistan to enter a political dialogue and to include peace with Pakistan at the top of the Afghanistan national agenda.

Sour relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have frequently made headlines and ties between the two countries have passed through major ups and downs over the course of time.

"Before this, Pakistan was dealing with Afghanistan as a marginalized point, Pakistan believed that if the Karachi port is closed, if Torkham and Spin Boldak crossings are closed, there would be screaming and shouting but the era of shouting and screaming has passed my brother," said Ghani during a speech in Kabul four months ago.

But, on a different occasion, Ghani tried to draw red lines for Pakistan.

"Peace with Pakistan is meant that there is a strong, national and proud government working in Afghanistan and Pakistan needs to accept this reality, our governance should not be meant compromise," said Ghani.

"Peace with Pakistan is now among Afghanistan�s national agenda, a dignified peace which is supposed to be restored through political channels," said Ghani in his Eid message on Friday.

But analysts have different views of Ghani�s Pakistan policy.

"Undoubtedly, pressure by the US, NATO and pressure by the Afghan government will finally force Pakistan to surrender to the restoration of peace in the region," said university lecturer Hekmatullah Shahbaz.

"In the new strategy, the US has supported Afghanistan and this would be in the interests of Afghanistan, we hope that the terrorists, terrorists� backers and sponsors are suppressed within the framework of the new strategy," said civil society activist Laila Jaffari.

Trump�s new war strategy for Afghanistan was widely welcomed in Afghanistan.

The Afghan government has said that it was hopeful that the new strategy will open a new chapter of bilateral ties between the United States and Afghanistan in the future and these will also have a beneficial impact on the regional situation.

LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/8395

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