Islamabad, Oct 3: The Taliban delegation, who arrived in Islamabad on Wednesday, is currently holding high-level dialogues with Pakistan officials, including foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in efforts to restore scrapped Afghan Peace Process.
Along with Qureshi, foreign secretary Sohail Mahmood, Inter-Services Intelligence director general Lt General Faiz Hameed and other high-class officials were also present during the high-level conference in Islamabad.
According to the Pakistan Foreign Office (FO), Taliban delegation’s recent visit marked the first time since the establishment of the Taliban Political Commission (TPC).
Dawn quoted Qureshi as saying, “Both countries are equally facing the consequences of instability in Afghanistan over the past 40 years.” Qureshi also said he understands war was not the solution to any problem in the region.
He said in order to achieve peace and stability in Afghanistan, negotiations were the only “positive” and possible option left. He also underlined Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process as a mediator.
The Pakistan foreign minister expressed hope both sides – the United States and the Taliban, would resume the peace talks soon and that peace and stability can be reached and further maintained in the region.
Earlier a day, FO, in an official statement, said, “Pakistan has extended an invitation to the Taliban Political Commission (TPC) in Doha for a visit.”
The development comes in the midst of President Donald Trump’s cancellation of US-Taliban peace talks earlier this month, post Taliban announcement it was behind the terror attacks in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul.
On Sep 7, Trump, in a series of tweets, confirmed he was calling off the secret negotiations with the group’s representatives and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani at Maryland’s Camp David in the United States.
Trump, via tweets, has said he “called off” scheduled peace talks and “cancelled” a scheduled secret meeting with the group’s “major leaders”. He took this decision post Taliban declaration it was behind a terror attack in Afghan capital Kabul that claimed the life of an American troop and other 11 people.
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