the United States, Afghan Taliban and the Kabul government – for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire.The prime minister expressed these concerns in a meeting with a delegation of the Taliban Political Commission (TPC), headed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who called on him in Islamabad on Friday.
The Afghan Taliban delegation’s visit to Pakistan this week is the third trip in the last one and a half years.During the three-day trip for consultations on ongoing Afghan peace process, the Taliban leaders have met the premier, foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other officials.
“The prime minister expressed concern over the high-level of violence and called on all sides for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire,” according to an official statement issued following the meeting.The discussions focused on the progress in the Afghan peace process and the way forward, it added.
Reiterating that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, it said, PM Imran underlined that the Intra-Afghan negotiations have provided a historic opportunity to the Afghan leaders for achieving durable peace and stability through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.
The premier expressed hope that the Afghan parties would continue to build on the recent positive developments in the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.In the meeting, PM Imran “underscored Pakistan’s consistent support to an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. He also “underlined the need to be vigilant about the role of spoilers, who continue to make attempts to disrupt and derail the peace process”.
He also highlighted that return of peace and stability to Afghanistan would provide a strong impetus to economic development, regional integration, and connectivity, benifitting Afghanistan and the region.The TPC delegation’s visit is part of Pakistan’s serious efforts to facilitate Afghan reconciliation to achieve a peaceful, stable, united, independent, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan. The visit has come against the backdrop of some key developments.
Recently, the Afghan government and the Taliban have taken a 20-day break in their talks taking place in Doha, Qatar. It is worth mentioning that after months of negotiations, the two sides recently agreed on the rules of engagement for the next phase of talks on future of Afghanistan and comprehensive ceasefire.
However, the US is not happy with the break in talks as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said current situation warranted urgent progress on ceasefire and peace deal.Just before the Taliban’s visit, Khalilzad also met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and the Director-General of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed. Khalilzad is said to have sought COAS and ISI’s support to ensure that talks are not delayed beyond January 5.
On Tuesday, US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Mark Milley met the Taliban peace negotiators and urged a reduction in violence.A spokesperson for the US military said Gen Milley had "discussed the need for an immediate reduction of violence and accelerate progress towards a negotiated political solution which contributes to regional stability and safeguards US national interests".
