Pakistan army chief reiterates support for Afghan peace process

The Pakistani army chief offered Islamabad's support for the Afghanistan peace process in a meeting with President Ashraf Ghania in Kabul on Monday amid growing violence as the United States withdraws its troops. Britain's chief of defence staff also attended the meeting.

Pakistan is a key player in moves to resolve the conflict between the Western-backed government and the Taliban insurgents.

Ashraf Ghani and Qamar Javed Bajwa hold talks in Kabul. Reuters

In the past, Islamabad has been accused of harbouring the Taliban but in recent years Washington and other Western powers have acknowledged its efforts to push the militant group to take part in peace talks.

Army Chief of Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa reiterated to Ghani that "a peaceful Afghanistan means a peaceful region in general and a peaceful Pakistan in particular," a Pakistani military statement said.

"We will always support 'Afghan led-Afghan owned' Peace Process based on mutual consensus of all stakeholders," it said.

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Meanwhile, Ghani thanked Bajwa for a meaningful discussion and appreciated Pakistan's sincere and positive role in the Afghan peace process.

Later, General Bajwa also called on Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation of Afghanistan Dr Abdullah Abdullah and discussed matters related to the peace process. Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Faiz Hamid accompanied the army chief during the visit.

Abdullah Abdullah meets Qamar Javed Bajwa in Kabul. Reuters

General Bajwa was accompanied by British Chief of Defence Staff General Nicholas Patrick Carter. Britain still has troops in Afghanistan in a war that started with the overthrow of a Taliban government following the 2001 attacks by militants in the United States.

In recent weeks, Pakistan has been negotiating with the insurgents to try to get them to commit to a ceasefire, Taliban and diplomatic sources have told Reuters.
Pakistan is also trying to persuade them to agree to an extension of the US-Taliban agreement which stipulated US and other foreign forces should withdraw by May and to continue to take part in planned peace talks in Turkey. But violence has risen starkly in recent weeks as the US forces pull out.