Afghan-Peace US Envoy meets COAS – ISI chief – Daily Notable
By Our Bureau Chief
Islamabad
According to the sources of Daily Notable, United States President Donald Trump’s pointed man for Afghanistan on Sunday held talks with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss the next steps for advancing the peace process that has moved slowly since the landmark deal signed between the United States and Afghan Taliban on February 29.
As per details Zalmay Khalilzad, despite Covid-19 that otherwise restricted official engagements, is travelling to Islamabad, Doha and Kabul.
His tour suggests the importance the Trump administration still attaches to the Afghan peace deal despite pandemic. Along with, anti-racism protests in the US Khalilzad, who accompanied senior American officials, met Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa. Assisted by Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lt-Gen Faiz Hameed along with other senior security personnel.
For Notable Series
Statement of Zalmay Khalilzad
An official handout issued by the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that during the meeting matters of mutual interest, overall security situation including Afghan refugees issue. As well as, Afghan reconciliation process and Pak-Afghan border management were discussed.
“Both shared steps taken in this regard and agreed to continue working towards mutually agreed goals,” the statement concluded.
Although, no further details were available. But it has believed Khalilzad’s latest visit aimed at discussing the next steps in the fragile peace efforts.
The US and Afghan Taliban signed a landmark deal in February that envisaged a roadmap for the political solution to the long war in Afghanistan.
The key clause has been the prisoners’ exchange between the Afghan government and the Taliban.
The prisoners’ swap was to take place within days of the signing of US-Taliban deal but the process hit a roadblock when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani refused to free 5,000 Taliban inmates in one go.
The deadlock prevented the start of crucial intra-Afghan talks, which were originally to take place in the second week of March.
Internal Wrangling
What further compounded the process was internal wrangling between President Ghani and his political rival Dr Abdullah Abdullah. However, a power-sharing deal is about to reach recently where Dr Abdullah has made head of the Afghan government delegation to participate in the intra-Afghan dialogue.
Also, there has been positive movement on the prisoners’ exchange, renewing hopes for early start of intra-Afghan talks. The US has thought to request Pakistan to play its part in convincing the Taliban for a permanent ceasefire.
On Saturday, Pakistan also appointed a focal person for the Afghan peace process. Muhammad Sadiq, the former ambassador to Kabul, has appointed as special representative on Afghanistan.
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