Afghan Taliban recognize Pakistan's positive role in bringing peace in Afghanistan: Qureshi

(Karachi) Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said that the delegation of Afghan Taliban has recognized Pakistan's positive role in bringing peace in Afghanistan.

Talking to media persons after a meeting with the delegation of Afghan Taliban led by Mullah Baradar, the director of the political office and Taliban’s deputy emir responsible for political affairs, at Foreign Office on Tuesday, he said Taliban officials apprised him regarding the progress made on the peace pact between the United States and the Taliban.

Qureshi said Pakistan always supported the view that a lasting and permanent solution to Afghan crisis can only be achieved through dialogue.

He maintained, "Pakistan continued to play its role in the peace process under a shared responsibility, the efforts of which paid off when the US and Taliban signed the peace deal in Doha in February."

He highlighted that Pakistan hopes the leadership of Afghanistan would use the opportunity of the peace agreement to commence intra-Afghan talks. He said, "We want the intra-Afghan dialogue to be held as soon as possible to ensure peace in the region."

He said the Taliban delegation is in favour of implementing the peace deal inked in Doha. He said, "The Afghan delegation highlighted there are some obstacles in the process that could be resolved through dialogue."

In February, a deal was reached between the United States and the Taliban in which it was agreed that 5,000 Taliban prisoners will be released from Afghan prisons before peace talks between the militant group and the government. The government has so far released 4,600 prisoners.

The Loya Jirga, which was attended by more than 3,000 elders, community leaders and politicians, stated that intra-Afghan peace talks should begin immediately. It said that foreign prisoners, if any, should be handed over to their respective nations after receiving credible guarantees from their governments.

The jirga also decided that the freed prisoners should not return to the battlefield while permanent ceasefire should be imposed.

On August 10, Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani issued a decree to release the final batch of prisoners demanded by the Taliban as a condition to move to peace talks.

The Taliban had said that once the prisoners are released they would start peace talks within a week after months of delays since the United States signed a troop withdrawal deal in February.