ISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s strong role has surfaced in the Afghanistan endgame,it has been revealed.
A Pakistan-arranged meeting between U.S. and Taliban officials will be heldtoday in Qatar to find a political solution to the decades-long war inAfghanistan.
The special representative for Afghan reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad,will lead the US team at the talks in Doha, the Voice of America reports.
Khalilzad, is visiting regional countries to gather support for Afghanpeace talks. He is 14 days into an 18-day visit to the region and hasalready visited Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan andBelgium.
Since taking office in September, the Afghan-born US special envoy has heldtwo meetings with the Taliban in Qatar, where the insurgent group operatesits so-called “political office.”
Islamabad has facilitated the Monday’s dialogue after President DonaldTrump wrote to Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month seeking hiscooperation in bringing the Taliban to the table for peace negotiations.
Read Top Stories
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has confirmed participation of itspolitical negotiators in Monday’s meeting with American officials.Representatives of the host country, Pakistan, UAE and Saudi Arabia willalso be in attendance.
The Taliban say the presence of international forces in Afghanistan is themain obstacle to peace but have said that issues including mutualrecognition with the Kabul government, constitutional changes and women’srights can be negotiated.
On Saturday, Washington said it welcomes actions Pakistan is taking topromote a negotiated solution to the war in neighboring Afghanistan.
“The United States welcomes any actions by the Pakistani government topromote greater cooperation, including fostering negotiations between theTaliban, the Afghan government, and other Afghans,” a US embassyspokesperson in Kabul told VOA.
