Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi reiterated on Tuesday Pakistan’s commitment to facilitate peace process in Afghanistan, the Foreign Ministry of Pakistan said.
Qureshi was talking to Hezb-e-Wahdat-e Islami party leader Karim Khalili in Islamabad. A former vice president of Afghanistan and former head of the High Peace Council Khalili arrived in Pakistan on a three-day visit on Monday.
Qureshi described as “good omen” the progress in intra-Afghan negotiations currently underway in Qatar to decide a future political roadmap, says the statement.
“It has been Pakistan’s longstanding stance that there is no military solution to the Afghan conflict. A negotiated political settlement is the only solution acceptable to the Afghan leadership,” the statement quoted Qureshi as saying.
Qureshi reiterated Pakistan’s call for “all sides to take measures for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire. He also cautioned against the role of ‘spoilers’ within and outside Afghanistan who do not wish to see return of peace in Afghanistan and the region,” Pakistan special envoy for Afghanistan Mohammad Sediq, who attended the meeting, said.
Quraishi said Pakistan will welcome decisions at the negotiations among Afghans and said intra-Afghan dialogue is a unique opportunity for the Afghan leadership to bring peace to the country.
“We believe that peace in Afghanistan is linked to peace and stability in the region,” the foreign minister said.
Qureshi told Khalili that Pakistan is taking measures to promote bilateral trade and has also introduced a liberal visa policy for Afghan nationals.
Khalili appreciated Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process, according to the statement.
