At meeting between Pakistani officials and Taliban delegation in Islamabad on Thursday, it was emphasized that reduction of violence by all parties to the conflict was necessary to provide an enabling environment for resumption of the peace process at an early date, Islamabad said.
The 12-member Taliban delegation led by its deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, during the visit which Pakistan said was first to the country since the establishment of Qatar-based Taliban Political Commission.
Noting that the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan had suffered tremendously due to 40 years of conflict in Afghanistan, Qureshi said that it was time to make all possible efforts for an early, peaceful resolution of the conflict in Afghanistan, according to a statement issued by Pakistan’s foreign ministry.
He said that Pakistan would continue to support all efforts to achieve permanent peace in Afghanistan which was essential for Pakistan’s own social-economic development and progress.
He reiterated that there was no military solution to the complex situation to the complex situation in Afghanistan, saying an inclusive peace and reconciliation process, involving all sections of the Afghan society, was the only, practical way forward.
According to Qureshi, US-Taliban talks had now laid a firm ground for achieving a sustainable peace deal in Afghanistan.
“A pacific settlement of the conflict would lead to a significant reduction of violence, end of bloodshed and long-term peace, stability and prosperity for future generations of Afghanistan,” he said.
He hoped that the currently paused peace process would restart at an early date.
A statement issued by the Taliban said that they discussed relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, political issues and peace.
They discussed also Afghan refugees’ health, education and facilitation of visa, according to the statement.
US-Taliban peace talks collapsed after US President Donald Trump declared them dead last month citing a deadly attack in Kabul.
