ISLAMABAD: Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, called on Pakistani army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi on Monday, a day before a fresh round of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban begin in Qatar.
Months of deliberations between the two sides have yielded little so far, but both parties made a breakthrough last year when they finally agreed at least on what to discuss in the next round, which begins Tuesday, January 5.
Afghan government negotiators will push for a permanent ceasefire and to protect the existing system of governance, in place since the ouster of the Taliban in 2001 by a US-led invasion in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
Pakistan has been considered key in bringing the Taliban to the negotiating table, first for talks with the US and eventually for an intra-Afghan dialogue.
"During the meeting matters of mutual interest including overall regional security situation with particular reference to ongoing Afghan reconciliation process were discussed," the Pakistani army's media wing said in a statement. "Both reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels."
"Visiting dignitary acknowledged Pakistan's ongoing efforts for enduring peace in Afghanistan and the region," the statement said.
The first direct talks between the warring sides opened in September after months of delays, but quickly became bogged down by disputes on the basic framework of discussions and religious interpretations.
The negotiations follow a landmark troop withdrawal deal signed in February by the Taliban and Washington, which saw the US pledge to pull out all foreign forces from Afghanistan by May 2021.
The talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban have been marred by an increase in violence from the start, but a new trend is a wave of high-profile targeted killings of officials, activists, and journalists.
The deputy governor for Kabul province, five journalists, and a prominent election activist have been among those killed in Kabul and other cities since November.