ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday said that Pakistanfacilitated the release of western hostages by the Afghan Taliban.
In a series of tweets, the PM said, “Pak welcomes release of Profs KevinKing & Timothy Weeks in Afghanistan. We appreciate steps taken by allinvolved to make it possible.”
linkImran Khan✔@ImranKhanPTIlink · 42m linklink
Pak welcomes release of Profs Kevin King & Timothy Weeks in Afghanistan. Weappreciate steps taken by all involved to make it possible. As part of theint community working to bring peace & end the suffering of the Afghanpeople, Pak has fully supported & facilitated this release
linkImran Khan✔@ImranKhanPTIlink
as part of its policy of supporting initiatives for a negotiated politicalsettlement of the Afghan conflict. We hope this step gives a boost ofconfidence to all parties involved to re-engage in the peace process.Pakistan remains committed to facilitating this peace procylinklink
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The premier said that the as part of the international community working tobring peace and end the suffering of the Afghan people, Islamabad fullysupports the decision.
The prime minister also said that Pakistan facilitated the release as partof its policy of supporting initiatives for a negotiated politicalsettlement of the Afghan conflict.
“We hope this step gives a boost of confidence to all parties involved tore-engage in the peace process. Pakistan remains committed to facilitatingthis peace process,” PM Imran added.
The Afghan Taliban released two Western hostages in southern AfghanistanTuesday, handing them over to US forces more than three years after theywere abducted in Kabul, insurgent sources and police told AFP.
The release of American Kevin King and Australian Timothy Weeks, bothprofessors at the American University in Kabul, comes one week afterPresident Ashraf Ghani announced that Afghanistan would free threehigh-ranking Taliban prisoners in an apparent swap that he hoped would helpjumpstart peace talks.
