USCENTCOM chief lauds Pakistan’s role for peace, stability in region

WASHINGTON (92 News) – US Army General Joseph Votel, head of the US Central Command, has appreciated Pakistan’s role for peace and stability in the region. During a briefing of the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, he said that the Afghan peace process has advanced during the last six months as compared to last 18 years. “Taliban came to the table of talks with the help of Pakistan. Such steps were not witnessed before,” he said. He said that Pakistan’s interests will be protected in the Afghan peace agreement. The US Central Command head said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had supported the initiation of peace talks between the United States and the Taliban despite his public concerns. “It is my observation, from my close discussions with (US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad) that he is in fact consulting with President Ghani on a regular basis, keeping him well informed and that the actual initiation of these discussions was done with President Ghani’s knowledge and support,” he said.