ISLAMABAD - An Afghan Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will arrive here today for talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi.
Afghan Taliban announced the visit on their official Twitter account which was confirmed by the hosts in Islamabad.
“A Taliban delegation from Qatar office left for Pakistan on official invitation,” the Taliban tweeted late on December 15 night.
Afghan Taliban spokesperson Dr M Naeem “@IeaOffice” said on Twitter that the Taliban team led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar will meet PM Khan and FM Qureshi.
Earlier, top US civil and military officials held a crucial meeting with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the resumption of peace process in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan-US bilateral ties.
Under the US-Taliban peace agreement signed in February 2020, the number of American troops in Afghanistan has reduced to 4,500 and all the remaining foreign soldiers are expected to leave the country by May 2021.
Prime Minister Imran Khan had visited Afghanistan last month, where he vowed to “do everything” to help curb violence and push for a ceasefire between the Taliban and Afghan forces.
PM Khan’s first visit to Kabul as Prime Minister came as violence escalates in the war-torn nation, threatening peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban that began in Doha in September.
“We notice with concern that the level of violence despite the talks in Qatar, is rising,” PM Khan had said at a news conference with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.
Khan said he had chosen this moment to visit Kabul to assure the Afghan government that “Pakistan will do everything, whatever is possible, we will do to help reduce this violence and in fact move towards a ceasefire.”
President Ghani meanwhile said the common objective for the two countries was to “overcome the distrust that has haunted our relationship”.
“We have come to an understanding that a shared vision regarding cooperation is not only essential for relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but a harbinger of regional cooperation, connectivity,” he added.
“And I would like to inform the media that within a short period I would be honoured to accept your invitation to visit the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”
Historic talks between the US and the Afghan Taliban to end a 19-year war in Afghanistan kicked off in September after the United States had earlier signed an agreement with the Afghan Taliban in February. While the talks continue, progress has been slow, and both sides are yet to agree on a framework for how to proceed.
The US has announced it would be sharply reducing the number of US troops in Afghanistan from 4,500 to 2,500 before current President Donald Trump leaves office in mid-January, accelerating the country’s military disengagement.
Following the US announcement, NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg warned that a “hasty” withdrawal by the US, which lead’s NATO’s coalition in Afghanistan, could lead to further violence.
“We now face a difficult decision. We have been in Afghanistan for almost 20 years, and no NATO ally wants to stay any longer than necessary. But at the same time, the price for leaving too soon or in an uncoordinated way could be very high,” Stoltenberg said in a statement this week.
Prime Minister Imran Khan has also invited President Ghani to visit Pakistan and the trip is expected “soon.”