Pak special representative for Afghanistan discusses peace plan with Taliban in Qatar

Pakistan said on Friday that its special representative for Afghanistan visited Qatar and discussed the Afghan peace process with the Taliban leaders.The Foreign Office (FO) said that Ambassador (R) Muhammad Sadiq visited Doha on June 16 and 17. "During the visit, he met Taliban leaders including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to discuss the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan," it said.

Pakistan said on Friday that its special representative for Afghanistan visited Qatar and discussed the Afghan peace process with the Taliban leaders. The Foreign Office (FO) said that Ambassador (R) Muhammad Sadiq visited Doha on June 16 and 17.

"During the visit, he met Taliban leaders including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to discuss the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan," it said. The special representative underlined that Pakistan will continue to play its role as facilitator for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, it added.

Ambassador Sadiq referred to the highly productive visit of the Chief of Army Staff to Kabul recently, which had imparted a new impetus to Pakistan's efforts, the FO said. The special representative appreciated Taliban's commitment to implement the US-Taliban peace agreement. He also noted that the release of prisoners as per the agreement would be a stepping stone towards the immediate start of intra-Afghan negotiations.

Pakistan hopes that all concerned parties will make sincere efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan, it said. After 18 years of war, the US and the Taliban signed the peace deal in Doha on February 29 to facilitate intra-Afghan dialogue in Oslo this month and the withdrawal of all foreign forces from Afghanistan in 14 months.

Under the US-Taliban pact signed in Doha, the US has agreed to reduce its troops in Afghanistan from 13,000 to 8,600 in the next 130 days and withdraw all its soldiers in 14 months.

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