WASHINGTON: A senior US diplomat is set to lead a large delegation on a six-nation tour, including Afghanistan, to boost that country’s peace process and bring “all Afghan parties together in an intra-Afghan dialogue,” the State Department said Sunday.
The statement said Zalmay Khalilzad, a former ambassador to Afghanistan who has undertaken extensive recent talks with the Taliban, would head an interagency delegation from February 10 to 28.
It was unclear whether the group had already left at the time of the statement.
The itinerary will take the US delegation to Belgium, Germany, Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the statement said, adding that Khalilzad would “consult with the Afghan government throughout the trip.”
The emphasis on bringing “all Afghan parties together” appeared crucial. US-Taliban peace talks have not included the Afghan government, which the Taliban considers US-backed puppets, and Khalilzad said recently that intra-Afghan negotiations were essential.
The US envoy has in recent months met several times with Taliban officials in Qatar, where the group’s leaders have an office in the capital Doha.
Khalilzad said Friday that he hoped to see a peace deal in place before Afghanistan’s July presidential elections.
President Donald Trump has been pushing to end US involvement in Afghanistan, where 14,000 American troops are still deployed. But Khalilzad emphasized that any troop withdrawal would depend on conditions on the ground.
Afghanistan has suffered nearly constant conflict since the Soviet invasion of 1979, which was followed by civil war, the Taliban regime, and a US invasion following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks.
US envoy to visit Pakistan, Afghanistan for ‘intra-Afghan’ talks
US envoy to visit Pakistan, Afghanistan for ‘intra-Afghan’ talks
- Zalmay Khalilzad will head an interagency delegation from February 10 to 28
- His six-nation tour is focused on bringing ‘all Afghan parties together’
Pakistan assembly speaker warns opposition against anti-state remarks in parliament
- Ayaz Sadiq says criticism of judiciary and armed forces will not be allowed on assembly floor
- He calls violence during protests unacceptable, vows neutrality as National Assembly speaker
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Saturday that opposition lawmakers would not be allowed to speak against Pakistan, the judiciary or the armed forces on the floor of parliament, calling such remarks unacceptable.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to the eastern city of Lahore, Sadiq said parliamentary debate must remain within constitutional and legal limits, while reiterating his commitment to act impartially as speaker.
“No one will be allowed to speak against Pakistan, the judiciary or the armed forces on the floor of the National Assembly,” Sadiq said. “Negative or controversial remarks about judges or the armed forces are unacceptable.”
His comments come amid heightened political tensions after opposition groups held protests in the past, criticizing state institutions and targeting government and military properties.
The speaker said peaceful protest was a democratic right but drew a sharp line at violence and vandalism.
“Protest is the right of every citizen in a democratic society, but it must remain peaceful and within the bounds of the constitution and the law,” he continued, adding that arson, damage to property and the use of sticks or weapons in the name of protest were “unacceptable” and posed a threat to the rule of law.
“No opposition lawmaker will be allowed to speak on the National Assembly floor if they speak against Pakistan,” Sadiq said.
The speaker also noted the country’s economic indicators were gradually improving, citing an increase in foreign exchange reserves, and said Pakistan had further strengthened relations with countries including the United States, China, Russia, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia.
