ISLAMABAD: A delegation from the Afghan Taliban’s Qatar-based political office and Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi have discussed issues impeding the start of the intra-Afghan dialogue in Islamabad on Tuesday.
As per details, the director of the political office and Taliban’s deputy emir responsible for political affairs, lead the delegation called on FM Qureshi, which arrived in Pakistan on Monday on the invitation of the foreign ministry.
On this occasion, the visiting delegation informed FM Qureshi of the progress made on the peace deal associated between the US and the Taliban.
The foreign minister said that this was a historic occasion and the focus should be on taking advantage of it in every possible way. He stressed that this opportunity should not be wasted.
He said that Pakistan wanted the intra-Afghan dialogue to be held as soon as possible to make sure peace in the region.
The foreign minister said that Pakistan had continued to play its role in the peace process under a shared responsibility, the efforts of which paid off when the US and Taliban signed the peace deal in Doha.
READ MORE: Afghan Taliban delegation arrives in Pakistan
“From the beginning, Pakistan has taken the position that a lasting and eternal result can only be achieved through dialogue overseen by the Afghans,” FM Qureshi told the meeting.
Pakistan will continue to play its role in the Afghan peace process and ensure peace in the region, he added.
The delegation thanked the foreign minister for Pakistan’s continued support and role in the Afghan peace process.
The development came days after the Afghan government had released some 80 key Taliban figures to pave the way for direct peace talks. The move was part of a prisoner swap deal, following a landmark peace agreement between the US and Taliban in February this year.
Afghanistan has so far released 4,600 Taliban prisoners, in addition to 500 prisoners who were not on the Taliban’s list, according to local media.
In December 2018, Pakistan arranged rare direct talks between Washington and the Taliban, paving the way for a negotiated settlement of the lingering conflict.
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