June 25, 2021: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Thursday expressed concern over the resumption of high-level violence in Afghanistan, saying it would strengthen the hands of those who did not want a return to peace in the region.
Qureshi made the remarks during a meeting with Ebrahim Tahirian Fard, Afghanistan’s special envoy to Iran’s foreign minister, who spoke to him in Islamabad amid rising violence in Afghanistan in recent days and the Taliban’s occupation of more territory. Met The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Deborah Lyonsn, told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that more than 50 of Afghanistan’s 370 districts had fallen since the beginning of May.
“Most of the districts that have been taken around the provincial capitals suggest that the Taliban are trying to take over these capitals after the complete withdrawal of foreign forces,” he said. In his meeting, Qureshi stressed the need for a reduction in violence as a result of the ceasefire, urging the Afghan side to seize the opportunity and seek international support for the peace process, according to a Foreign Office statement.
During the meeting, issues related to the Afghan peace process, regional security and mutual interests were discussed as the Foreign Minister highlighted the salient features of Pakistan’s permanent policy on Afghanistan.
Emphasizing that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Qureshi underscored that only a negotiated political settlement, through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned political process, would help achieve the desired objective of sustainable peace and stability in Afghanistan.
He pointed out that both Pakistan and Iran have suffered due to instability in Afghanistan and stressed for a close coordination between the two countries.
The Foreign Minister congratulated President-elect Ayatollah Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi on his victory and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to further increase bilateral relations in all areas.
Iran’s Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister for Afghanistan is on a two-day visit to Pakistan. He earlier visited Kabul and discussed his country’s proposals to push the peace process forward that also include an offer to host the Taliban and the Afghan government.
Earlier, Taherian held talks with Afghan leaders in Kabul and assured his country’s full support for the Afghan peace process, Afghan officials said.
The Afghan Minister of Foreign Affairs said Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar in meeting with the Iranian envoy underscored the urgent need to strengthen regional consensus for the success of the peace process and called Iran’s role in this regard important and valuable.
Iran’s special envoy assured Minister Atmar of his government’s support to the peace process, stating that Tehran was ready to host the Afghan peace talks, according to a statement.
Taherian added that Iran fully supported the Afghan government’s agenda for peace and all initiatives that contribute to the success of the Afghan Peace Process and preserve the Islamic Republic system.
President Ghani arrives in Washington Afghan President Ashraf Ghani leading a high-ranked government delegation arrived in Washington on Thursday for a two-day official visit to the United States.
BNA reported that President Ghani will hold separate meetings with US President Joe Biden, members of Congress and Senate, senior government officials and American influential people and further strengthen relations between the two countries, financial assistance, equipment and Will discuss Support for security and defense forces, US cooperation with Afghanistan’s economic and development sectors, and a joint fight against terrorism.
The President was accompanied by the Chairman of the High Peace and Reconciliation High Council, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, Amrullah Saleh, First Vice President, Muhammad Hanif Atmar, Foreign Minister, Hamdullah Mohib, National Security Adviser, Waheed Omar, Head of the People’s Department Strategic Communications Abdul Matin Big, Dr. Habiba Sorabi and Dr. Fatima Gilani, members of the Afghan government’s negotiating team and chairperson of the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, Shehrzad Akbar.
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