Pakistan government is waiting for a “clear stance” of the Biden administration on Afghan peace deal signed last February by outgoing president Donald Trump.
Pakistan is keeping fingers crossed as the new national security team of President Joe Biden announced the other day that it will review the peace deal with Taliban, said senior officials in Islamabad.
An official said we knew that the new US administration would review the deal. But it has not yet given any clear stance, he added.
He said that Pakistan would suggest the new US government to stick to the current peace efforts as they were initiated and brokered by it. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also expressed the hope that the deal would mature into peace in Afghanistan, he maintained.
Another official said on one hand the new secretary of state had hinted at his confirmation hearing in Senate to continue with the deal and other hand intends to review it. And at the same time the administration announced to retains Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the man behind the February deal. The situation has put Pakistan in a fix, he added.
Khalilzad will be chief US negotiator at least until May, when the US has to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan under the deal with Taliban.
By retaining Khalilzad, the US has hinted that it may not seek “drastic changes” in the peace deal, he continued.
Officials said the peace efforts are going on smoothly though there is resurgence in violence in Afghanistan in recent months. Given the current situation, the new US administration may not have enough room to make changes to the agreement.
“Let’s see if the review may just be a cosmetic,” remarked another official.
Meanwhile, Taliban have not yet officially responded to the announcement made by the US administration to review the deal.
However, we believe that it is a rare and historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan, the official expressed the hope.
Pakistan and the US are not in direct contact, however, both sides are in touch through informal channels.
Pakistan hopes for the best as US hinted at review of Afghan peace deal
Pakistan government is waiting for a “clear stance” of the Biden administration on Afghan peace deal signed last February by outgoing president Donald Trump.
Pakistan is keeping fingers crossed as the new national security team of President Joe Biden announced the other day that it will review the peace deal with Taliban, said senior officials in Islamabad.
An official said we knew that the new US administration would review the deal. But it has not yet given any clear stance, he added.
He said that Pakistan would suggest the new US government to stick to the current peace efforts as they were initiated and brokered by it. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has also expressed the hope that the deal would mature into peace in Afghanistan, he maintained.
Another official said on one hand the new secretary of state had hinted at his confirmation hearing in Senate to continue with the deal and other hand intends to review it. And at the same time the administration announced to retains Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, the man behind the February deal. The situation has put Pakistan in a fix, he added.
Khalilzad will be chief US negotiator at least until May, when the US has to withdraw all troops from Afghanistan under the deal with Taliban.
By retaining Khalilzad, the US has hinted that it may not seek “drastic changes” in the peace deal, he continued.
Officials said the peace efforts are going on smoothly though there is resurgence in violence in Afghanistan in recent months. Given the current situation, the new US administration may not have enough room to make changes to the agreement.
“Let’s see if the review may just be a cosmetic,” remarked another official.
Meanwhile, Taliban have not yet officially responded to the announcement made by the US administration to review the deal.
However, we believe that it is a rare and historic opportunity to achieve lasting peace in Afghanistan, the official expressed the hope.
Pakistan and the US are not in direct contact, however, both sides are in touch through informal channels.
Pakistan and the US are not in direct contact, however, both sides are in touch through informal channels.
