ISLAMABAD: While urging all the stakeholders in Afghanistan to use theirinfluences, Pakistan has said bringing the Afghan Taliban to thenegotiating table is a shared responsibility but it is ready to play itspart in this regard.

“Pakistan believes that convincing the Taliban to join the peace process isthe shared responsibility of all stakeholders,” the Foreign Officespokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal said on Thursday during a weekly briefing. “All countries having contacts with the Taliban, including the US, shoulduse their influence to bring them to the negotiating table,” he added.

His statement came in response to reports that the US has been pushingPakistan to persuade the Taliban to come to the negotiating table. For thispurpose the US President Donald Trump sent his point person for the regionto Islamabad.

Alice Wells, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southand Central Asia, held talks with the army chief, foreign secretary andother officials earlier this week.

Wells said Pakistan must do more to bring the Afghan Taliban to thenegotiating table. She also alluded to the oft repeated US charge that theTaliban leadership was hiding in Pakistan.

When asked to comment on the US expectations or demands, the spokespersonmade it clear that Pakistan alone did not have the responsibility to bringthe Taliban to the negotiating table.

He said Pakistan is committed to peace and security in Afghanistan andfully supports President Ashraf Ghani peace initiative. “There is nomilitary solution to the decade’s long conflict in Afghanistan. We hopethat Taliban would grab the opportunity for the unconditional peace talks,”he said.

The spokesperson confirmed that during the visit of Ambassador Wells, thetwo sides discussed the bilateral relationship as well as regionalsituation especially Afghanistan.

The two sides also shared the recent developments in the wake of ceasefirein Afghanistan on the occasion of Eidul Fitr and President Ghani’s offerfor unconditional talks to the Taliban.