Pakistan to continue to facilitate the Afghan peace process: FM

Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said Pakistan will continue to facilitate the Afghan peace process and expressed the hope that the Afghan parties would seize this historic opportunity to establish lasting peace in Afghanistan through an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s support for a peaceful, stable, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, he reiterated the country’s belief that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan.

The Foreign Minister was talking to a delegation of Taliban Political Commission (TPC), which headed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar called on him here for exchange of views on the Afghan peace process.

Welcoming the announcement of the agreement on Rules and Procedures between the two negotiating sides in Doha, he conveyed that the agreement reflected a common resolve of the parties to secure a negotiated solution.

He emphasized the importance of measures by all sides for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire.

The Foreign Minister added that Pakistan will respect the decisions taken by the Afghan parties through the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

He also underlined the need for guarding against the machinations of “spoilers” from disrupting the process.

The Foreign Minister highlighted the steps being taken by Pakistan to deepen the economic relations and people-to-people exchanges including visa facilitation and enhancing trade and transit for the welfare of fraternal Afghan people.

Emphasizing Pakistan’s commitment to safe and dignified return of Afghan refugees to their homeland,

the Foreign Minister expressed the hope that peace and stability in Afghanistan will help create conducive conditions for a time-bound and well-resourced roadmap supported by international community.

He also stressed the importance of the international community playing its role in reconstruction and economic development of Afghanistan.

The delegation thanked Pakistan for hosting millions of Afghan refugees for more than four decades.

The Taliban Political Commission’s delegation appreciated Pakistan’s facilitative role in the Afghan peace process and shared its perspective on various aspects of the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.

The Taliban Political Commission delegation is visiting Pakistan from 16-18 December 2020 as part of Pakistan’s efforts of outreach to all Afghan stakeholders for a peaceful resolution of the Afghan conflict.