The intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan for ending the long-lasting conflict, said Qureshi…reports Asian Lite News
Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has reaffirmed his country’s support to the Afghan peace process for a sustainable political settlement in the war-torn neighbouring country.
The intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to achieve an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement in Afghanistan for ending the long-lasting conflict, Qureshi said during a call on with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said Pakistan welcomed the announcement of the three-day Eid-ul-Fitr ceasefire by the Afghan parties recently, adding that efforts should continue for a permanent ceasefire.
Both sides also agreed to maintain high-level bilateral exchanges and work together for the further consolidation of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.
Meanwhile, Pakistani Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa was in Kabul to discuss the Afghan peace process with all stakeholders.
He arrived unannounced at a time of heightened uncertainty in a region where violence has surged amid US intent to pull out all troops from Afghanistan. According to sources, Bajwa is going to meet Afghan president Ashraf Ghani and other Afghan leaders in Kabul.
The sources said that Pakistani security officials have approached the Afghan Taliban leadership in Doha and made it clear to them that their refusal to participate in the Istanbul Conference was a big blow to the Afghan Peace Process, and if they do not show some flexibility, they will have to face the consequences.
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It is believed that few senior Taliban leaders of the negotiating team are already in Pakistan to seek “guidance” from their leadership who are in Pakistan.
“Where are stalemate in talks, they (Taliban) say that we are going to consult our elders. In reality their elders are the ISI and Pakistani army,” said the first vice president of Afghanistan Amrullah Saleh.
Afghan President Ghani, after the US decision to withdraw its troops, had said, “the withdrawal has forced them to make a choice. Taliban and their patrons in Pakistan, will they become credible stakeholders, or will they foster more chaos and violence? If the Taliban choose the latter path, the Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) will fight them. And if the Taliban still refuse to negotiate, they will be choosing the peace of the grave.” He further said, “The negotiations would confront difficult issues, such as whether and how the Taliban would end their relationship with Pakistan, which provides them with support for logistics, finances, and recruitment.” (with inputs from IndiaNarrative)
