PM Imran Khan, US envoy Zalmay Khalizad discuss Afghan peace process

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – US Special Representative on Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad called on Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday. They discussed the situation in the region and Afghanistan. “Pakistan is a supporter of the Afghan peace process,” the prime minister said. Imran Khan said that problems in the Afghan peace process should be removed so that a political solution to Afghanistan should be found. “We started sincere efforts for the Afghan peace process last year. All parties should take practical steps to reduce violence in Afghanistan,” he said. The prime minister stressed the need to end the negative narrative. “Progress and stability in Afghanistan is in the interests of Pakistan,” he said. Earlier, Khalilzad met President Ghani and discussed Kabul’s stance on peace. His visit comes amid speculation the US is attempting to restart the effort to end America’s longest war, after President Donald Trump last month declared talks “dead.” Khalilzad’s arrival in the Afghan capital coincided with the announcement that preliminary results from recent presidential elections will be delayed for nearly a month, a lengthy postponement likely to stoke political uncertainty and fraud allegations. “Khalilzad met with the president and briefed him about his recent activities,” Ghani’s spokesman Sediq Seddiqi said. “His viewpoints and the stance of the Afghan government for peace were discussed.” Afghans went to the polls for a first-round vote on Sept. 28, and initial results were supposed to have been released Oct 19. But more than a week after saying the Independent Election Commission would miss that deadline, commission chairwoman Hawa Alam Nuristani said the results now would not be released until Nov. 14. Violence in Afghanistan has continued unabated, with the last quarter the deadliest on record for civilians. On Sunday, at least five Afghan children were killed when a landmine exploded in the northern Afghan province of Faryab, officials said.