Afghan envoy calls on COAS General Qamar Javed Bajwa

RAWALPINDI: Afghanistan’s newly appointed envoy to Pakistan Shukrullah Atif Mashal called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at the GHQ, said Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Friday.

According to a press release issued by the Army’s media wing, the COAS welcomed the Afghan ambassador to Pakistan and expressed that his services will help optimize the mutually beneficial bilateral relations.

During the meeting, matters related to the regional security situation and Afghanistan peace process were discussed, the ISPR statement read.

Earlier in the day, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi while commenting on the Afghan situation had said a negotiated political settlement is required for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s special envoy, Mohammad Omar Daudzai, in an interview to BBC, had acknowledged that Pakistan was playing a positive role in the Afghan peace talks.

Daudzai said Pakistan’s government and state institutions were on the same page, which provided a suitable environment for holding talks on key issues.

When asked why the Taliban didn’t want to hold talks with the Afghan government, Daudzai said it was a longstanding desire of the Taliban to first negotiate with the US and later with the Afghan government.