Pakistan Welcomes US-Taliban Agreement, Hopes This Will Bring Peace in Afghanistan

Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday welcomed the proposed US-Taliban agreement, hoping that all parties would now seize this historic opportunity to bring a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement for durable peace and stability in the war-torn Afghanistan and the region.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Friday said that an agreement between the US and the Taliban could come as soon as February 29 in Afghanistan. According to Pompeo, the US "reached an understanding with the Taliban" on a reducton of violence that could lead to the signing of the US-Taliban agreement next week.

Pakistan's Foreign Office said the country has consistently supported direct negotiations between the US and Taliban. "From the outset, Pakistan has facilitated this process and contributed to its progress thus far. We look forward to the signing of the agreement on February 29, 2020," it said.

The FO said Pakistan believed the signing of the agreement would pave the way for the next step of intra-Afghan negotiations. We hope the Afghan parties would now seize this historic opportunity and work out a comprehensive and inclusive political settlement for durable peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region, said the FO.

Pakistan also reaffirmed its support for a peaceful, stable, united, democratic and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbours. Pakistan has been playing a crucial role in the Afghan peace process and last year released senior Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar from imprisonment, who is reportedly in Qatar.

The FO said Pakistan was also looking forward to the international community playing its part in reinforcing the efforts for the establishment of sustainable peace in Afghanistan and helping to create conditions inside Afghanistan to enable the return of Afghan refugees from Pakistan to their homeland with dignity and honour.

The US has been negotiating with the Taliban and President Donald Trump had earlier suggested there had been progress between the two sides to reduce violence in the war-torn country and end America's longest war, for 19 years where the US has lost over 2,400 soldiers.