ISLAMABAD: Reiterating Islamabad’s commitment to support the peace process in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi assured Kabul that Pakistan would extend its full support to work toward the initiative.
While addressing the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Friday, Qureshi added that Pakistan backed an Afghan-led reconciliation process to bring peace to the war-torn country and the region, a statement released by the Pakistan Foreign Ministry said.
On Saturday, the Taliban confirmed in a statement that representatives of its political bureau met with US’s newly-appointed Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, in Doha, Qatar, on Friday.
Before visiting Islamabad last week – where he met with Qureshi and Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua to discuss the way forward and seek a political solution to the problem — Khalilzad had also held talks with the Afghan leadership in Kabul.
“The visit took place following the Foreign Minister’s visit to Washington and Secretary of States’ (Mike Pompeo’s) visit to Islamabad where both sides agreed to re-engage and work together on the common objective of peace and stability in Afghanistan through a politically-negotiated settlement,” Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman, Mohammad Faisal, told reporters on Thursday during his weekly news briefing.
He added that Pakistan had conveyed to the US that while it would take “all possible steps, in good faith, to facilitate the process for political settlement, it remains a shared responsibility”.
“The role of the US, Afghanistan and other regional players is equally important. That is why ambassador Khalilzad is visiting other countries including the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to elicit their support,” Faisal said.
Senior analyst and an expert on Afghan affairs, Rahimullah Yusufzai, told Arab News that it was expected that Khalilzad would meet important stakeholders, most notably the representatives of the Taliban group, following his appointment.
Pakistan renews its promise for peace in Afghanistan
Pakistan renews its promise for peace in Afghanistan
- Assures Kabul of all possible steps to facilitate process
- Developments follow US-appointed envoy’s visit to Islamabad last week
Daesh media chief for ISKP in Pakistan’s custody — state media
- Sultan Aziz Azzam, a senior member of ISKP, used to head its Al Azzam media outlet, says state media
- Azzam was arrested in May while attempting to cross into Pakistan from Afghanistan, says state media
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have taken into custody Sultan Aziz Azzam, the head of Daesh regional affiliate ISKP’s media outlet, state media reported on Thursday citing intelligence sources.
The state-run Pakistan TV Digital reported that Azzam was a senior member of ISKP and hailed from Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. As per the state media report, he is also a graduate of the University of Nangarhar where he studied Islamic jurisprudence.
Pakistan TV Digital reported Azzam joined ISKP in 2016 and later became a prominent member of its leadership council.
“He was arrested in May 2025 while attempting to cross from Afghanistan into Pakistan,” Pakistan TV Digital reported, citing intelligence sources.
“He is believed to have overseen media operations and headed ISKP’s Al Azzam media outlet.”
In November 2021, Washington listed Azzam as a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist” (SDGT). The move bars American citizens from engaging in transactions with persons designated as SDGTs.
According to a report on the UN Security Council’s website, Azzam has played an “instrumental role” in spreading Daesh’s violent ideology, glorifying and justifying “terrorist acts.”
“Building on his former experience as an Afghan journalist, his activity as ISIL-K’s spokesperson has increased ISIL-K’s visibility and influence among its followers,” the report states.
The report further states Azzam claimed responsibility on behalf of Daesh for the suicide attack near Hamid Karzai International Airport on Aug. 26, 2021, which killed at least 170 Afghans and 13 US service members and injured 150 more.
The development takes place amid tense relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with Islamabad alleging militants use Afghan soil to carry out attacks against Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegations.
Tensions surged in October when Pakistan and Afghanistan engaged in fierce border clashes, claiming to have killed dozens of soldiers of the other side.
Pakistan has urged the Afghan Taliban-led government to take “decisive action” against militants it says operate from its soil. Afghanistan says it cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s security challenges.
