Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi told US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad on Friday that intra-Afghan dialogue is a key component of the Afghan reconciliation process.
From Doha to Moscow, the Taliban have been meeting an array of envoys with competing interests in Afghanistan, from the US — eager to withdraw its troops after a 17-year war — to politicians in Kabul jostling for power.
The Taliban have, however, refused to hold talks Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s US-backed administration, accusing it of being a puppet regime. The Afghan government has denied the allegations.
US Secretary of State’s Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad was scheduled to visit Qatar, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan, London and Brussels before returning to Washington on April 10.
Khalilzad, who arrived in Islamabad today after wrapping up a five-day trip to Afghanistan, held meetings in the capital with the foreign secretary and the foreign minister.
During his meeting with Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the US envoy shared updates on his meetings in Afghanistan and the dynamics of the intra-Afghan dialogue, the FO statement said.
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Foreign Minister Qureshi, while appreciating Khalilzad’s efforts, stated that intra-Afghan dialogue is a vital component of the reconciliation process. He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to the peace process, the press release added.
Earlier today, Khalilzad, along with an inter-agency delegation, held delegation-level talks with Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua. Janjua was assisted by senior officials from the Foreign Affairs and Defence ministries. During the talks, important affairs, including progress made in the Afghan reconciliation process, were discussed.
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The foreign secretary also briefed Khalilzad on a telephone conversation between Qureshi and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Both sides agreed to remain engaged to pursue the reconciliation process, the FO stated.
Khalilzad also held a meeting with Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and discussed regional security situation and the ongoing Afghan peace talks, an Inter-Services Public Relations press release said. The US envoy also appreciated Pakistan’s efforts to establish peace in Afghanistan.
