Pakistan assures visiting US envoy on Afghan talks

Islamabad: Pakistan remains optimistic for a negotiated solution to the Afghan crisis, officials said, as they assured a visiting US delegation that efforts will continue to facilitate the reconciliation process and promote regional peace and stability.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday assured US special envoy on Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, that Islamabad would step up efforts to take forward the Afghan peace process.

Khalilzad thanked the Foreign Minister for facilitating direct talks between the United States and the Taliban, adding that the US leadership valued Pakistan’s endeavours for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.

The special envoy was accompanied by a US inter-agency delegation representing the Departments of Defence and State, and the National Security Council.

This was Khalilzad’s fifth trip to the region since he assumed office in September 2018.

The US delegation headed by Khalilzad and General Austin Scott Miller, the Resolute Support Mission commander, also met Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi on Thursday to discuss the regional security environment and measures for Afghan peace and reconciliation.

“Peace in Afghanistan is important for Pakistan,”, Pakistan’s army chief reiterated, as he assured the US envoy that Islamabad would continue with its “efforts for bringing peace and stability in the region.”

The meeting was also attended by Lisa Curtis, deputy assistant to the US President and senior director for South and Central Asia and US charge d’affairs to Pakistan.

Earlier on Thursday, the US representative had delegation-level meeting with the Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua.

Khalilzad lauded Pakistan’s efforts in facilitating direct talks between Taliban and the US in Abu Dhabi last month.

The foreign secretary assured “Pakistan’s commitment to facilitate Afghan reconciliation process to realise the shared goal of peace and stability in the region.”

Earlier, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal told journalists the solution to the Afghan conflict “lies in an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.”

The US envoy arrived in Islamabad on Thursday for talks with top civilian and military leadership as part of his two-week regional tour for talks on Afghan peace process, which suffered a setback after the Taliban refused to hold direct talks with the Afghan government.

Pakistan had detained a senior Afghan Taliban leader, Hafiz Mohibullah, early this week — apparently to convince the Taliban to talk to the Afghan government — but it was reported that Taliban threatened to boycott all peace talks if Mohibullah was not released.

Later on January 16, Pakistan released the Taliban leader, following which the Taliban agreed to resume peace talks.

Informed sources told Gulf News that it was the Taliban’s threat to boycott talks that led to repeated delays in the arrival of the US envoy in Islamabad.

A source privy to the talks said the Taliban insisted on a confirmed date of foreign troops withdrawal before next talks while the US side insisted on a ceasefire and acceptance to Afghan constitution.

The US is also demanding Taliban to hold talks with Afghan leaders while Taliban insist to hold dialogue with the US only.

While talks continue, the ongoing operations against the Taliban by Afghan Special Forces and NDS resulted in the deaths of Taliban activists.

The new wave of anti-Taliban actions has sparked confusion among Taliban leaders and hardliners who are demanding to end peace talks as long as foreign troops remain in Afghanistan.

Political observers believe that Iran’s recent contacts with Taliban have boosted their moral and uplifted their bargaining position as Tehran has reportedly promised Taliban huge financial assistance for social and development programs during talks in Iran.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Gani thanked Pakistan PM Imran Khan for his country’s efforts in facilitating the Afghan peace process

Gani called Imran on January 17 to express gratitude for the efforts to help mediate an end to Afghan civil war and influence Taliban to join peace talks, officials said.

Imran assured Gani Pakistan was making sincere efforts for a negotiated settlement of the conflict in Afghanistan.

The Afghan president also invited Imran to visit Kabul, while the Pakistani premier reciprocated by inviting his counterpart to visit Islamabad to boost to ties.