US envoy to reach Pakistan Tuesday to seek support for intra-Afghan talks  

ISLAMABAD: United States (US) Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will arrive in Islamabad on Tuesday (tomorrow) to seek Pakistan’s support for the intra-Afghan dialogue, ARY NEWS reported quoting sources on Monday.

According to diplomatic sources, the visit of the US envoy was of keen importance and he would meet the civil and military leadership of the country.

He would later leave for Afghanistan after the meeting, they said adding that Zalmay Khalilzad would also meet Taliban representatives in Doha after meeting Pak-Afghan officials.

Earlier on June 7, US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad had called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Zalmay Khalilzad had discussed the matters of mutual interest, overall regional security situation. They had also exchanged views over the Afghan refugee issue, ongoing reconciliation process, and Pakistan-Afghanistan border management.

It is pertinent to mention here that following the successful dialogues, the United States and the Afghan Taliban on February 29 signed the historic peace deal, marking an end to the 18-year-war in Afghanistan.

Read More: Zalmay Khalilzad, Shah Mehmood Qureshi discuss Afghan peace process

US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar signed the agreement during a ceremony in Dohar, Qatar.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by  US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Qatari Emir and representatives from fifty countries.

According to a joint declaration released minutes before the deal was signed, the US and NATO troops will withdraw from Afghanistan within 14 months.