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Afghan Taliban delegation meets PM, COAS in Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban delegation is meeting with the Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa here today.

The delegation, led by the Co-founder of Afghan Taliban Movement Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, reached Islamabad yesterday to hold meetings with Pakistani authorities and the United States Special Representative of Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad.

According to reports, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence is also present in the meeting.

A relevant piece published earlier: 

Afghan Taliban meet Pak FM, agree on need of peace process revival

ISLAMABAD: A high-profile delegation of Afghan Taliban Political Commission led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met Pakistani side led by Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.Shah Mehmood QureshiFollowing the rendezvous the two sides proclaimed that they had agreed on the importance of early revival of the Afghan peace process.

Reiterating Pakistan’s commitment and support for endeavors for achieving permanent peace in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi stated that it was essential for his own country’s socio-economic development and progress too: ” “Instability in Afghanistan is impacting both Islamabad and Kabul.”

During the huddle it was accentuated that decrease of violence by all parties to the conflict was essential to facilitate an environment for early recommencement of the peace process.

According to Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Pakistan-supported direct Taliban-US talks since last year had now laid a firm ground for achieving a sustainable peace deal in Afghanistan: “Pakistan has played an honest role in search for peace in Afghanistan”. FM said appreciating Taliban’s engagement in the peace process. He further underscored the need to take these efforts to their rational end.

Hoping that the peace process would be restarted soon after the current pause, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi reiterated that Pakistan had maintained for several years that there was no military solution to Afghan situation. An comprehensive peace and reconciliation procedure, involving all sections of the Afghan society, was the only pragmatic way.

It is pertinent to mention here that Taliban’s  sojourn here also coincides with United States’ Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad’s visit to Pakistan.

News Pakistan

M M Alam

M. M. Alam is a Pakistan-based working journalist since 1981. Karachi University faculty gold medalist Alam began his career four decades ago by writing for Dawn, Pakistan’s highest circulating English daily. He has worked for region’s leading publications, global aviation periodicals including Rotors (of USA) and vetted New York Times as permanent employee of daily Express Tribune. Alam regularly covers international aviation and defense-related events including Salon Du Bourget (France), Farnborough (United Kingdom), Dubai (UAE). Alam has reported thousands of events and interviewed hundreds of people in Pakistan, UAE, EU, UK and USA. Being Francophone Alam also coordinates with a number of French publications.