Pakistan FM discusses peace process with Afghan counterpart

ISLAMABAD/KABUL – Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi Sunday exchanged views on the peace process with his Afghan counterpart Mohammad Hanif Atmar.

Foreign Minister Qureshi during the telephonic conversation reiterated that Pakistan is committed to continuing its conciliatory assistance to make Afghanistan peaceful and stable. Pakistan is a crucial partner in peace efforts in the region, stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan’s interest, Qureshi told Atmar.

He also expressed hope that the Istanbul Process will help make the Doha Agreement fruitful in the pursuit of lasting peace in Afghanistan. Qureshi also invited the Afghan Foreign Minister to Islamabad after the Istanbul Process meeting.

The Afghan foreign minister thanked Qureshi and Pakistan’s top leadership for their continued diplomatic, political, and moral support in making the Afghan peace process fruitful. Both sides also agreed to meet in Istanbul.

In his tweet today, Qureshi wrote ‘spoke to FM @MHaneefAtmar on bilat relations & evolving Afghan Peace Process. We support reconciliation in Afghanistan and progress in peace process, in Istanbul.”[sic].

Spoke to FM @MHaneefAtmar on bilat relations & evolving Afghan Peace Process.We support reconciliation in ???????? and progress in peace process, in Istanbul. I look forward to meeting FM Atmar at Istanbul Conf & to hosting him in Pakistan soon after to discuss a way forward post conf.

— Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) April 18, 2021

 I look forward to meeting FM Atmar at Istanbul Conf & to hosting him in Pakistan soon after to discuss a way forward post-conference, FM added.