ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday emphasized the need for inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations to develop a road map for future peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He was talking to US Special Representative for Reconciliation in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad who briefly visited Pakistan before continuing his journey to Doha, Qatar, where he is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Afghan Taliban.
Recalling his recent interaction with US President Donald Trump in Washington, the prime minister emphasized that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was in the interest of Pakistan as well as of the broader region.
Khan also expressed satisfaction at the evolving international consensus and interest in fully supporting efforts to achieve long term peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Khalilzad also met with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Thursday and shared the outcomes of the last US-Taliban peace talks in Doha and his recent engagements in Kabul.
The foreign minister welcomed the progress achieved in the talks and the Intra-Afghan Peace Conference in Doha in which all participants agreed on a basic road map for peace. He also noted that Pakistan would continue to play a supportive role for smooth progress and successful outcome of these peace efforts.
Addressing a group of journalists earlier in the day, Foreign Office Spokesman Dr. Muhammad Faisal clearly stated that Pakistan’s position on the Afghan issue was to facilitate the peace process, not to become a guarantor.
“I will reiterate Pakistan’s position on the peace process,” he said, “which is to facilitate peace talks in good faith and as a shared responsibility. Pakistan has been facilitating the peace process and talks with the Taliban … to bring peace, security, and stability in Afghanistan and the entire region.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the country’s prime minister, during his first official visit to Washington last month, said he would try to persuade the Afghan Taliban to resolve issues that were impeding progress toward peace in the region.
However, Rahimullah Yusufzai, an expert on Pak-Afghan relations, told Arab News it would be “difficult for Pakistan to convince the Taliban to have a direct dialogue with the Afghan government.”
“The Taliban have their own stance regarding the legitimacy of the Afghan government,” he said, though he also added that the Afghan insurgent group and the US had “shown flexibility during different rounds of dialogue in Doha” which was “a positive sign.”
During the news briefing on Thursday, Dr. Faisal noted that the prime minister was “personally committed to the Afghan peace process.”
“We will continue stressing for a comprehensive and all-inclusive Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process and, in this regard, we are working with all stakeholders,” he continued. “Matters related to the visit of the Taliban, as announced by the prime minister, are being finalized.”
Media reports suggest that the US is close to signing an agreement with the Taliban that have fought the international forces since the beginning of the war in Afghanistan.
“I’m off to Doha, with a brief stop in Islamabad. In Doha, if the Taliban do their part, we will do ours, and conclude the agreement we have been working on,” Khalilzad also said in a Twitter post on Wednesday.
However, Faisal told Arab News on Thursday that talks were continuing and no one should try to prejudge their conclusion. He also added that no major breakthrough was immediately expected due to the complexity of issues and the number of stakeholders involved.
“Pakistan will continue to support an outcome acceptable to all Afghans that is also in line with the efforts made by the US and international community,” he added.