Pakistan wants Taliban to hold talks with Afghan govt

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in an interview to a local media outlet stated that Pakistan wants the Taliban to settle the 17-year-old conflict with the Afghan government and negotiate.

He further stated that if they do not “sit down and talk to each other, outsiders can do little to help them”.

Earlier, Pakistan facilitated a meeting between the United States and the Taliban in Abu Dhabi, where delegations from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were also present. Although the talks were said to be “productive and positive”, the Taliban did not change their position to hold talks with the Aghan government.

It was also reported that Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah criticised Taliban’s refusal to hold talks and said that as long as the two parties don’t negotiate, the solution of the conflict would remain a “pipe dream”. Another round of talks to build on Abu Dhabi meeting is expected later this month.

FM Qureshi was also quizzed about the prospects for this impasse on initiation of an intra-Afghan process being overcome, to which he said he was hopeful and that until recently “no one could have thought of US and Taliban representatives sitting under one roof and talking to each other, but that happened”.

SOUTH PUNJAB:

Qureshi has said that cooperation of all the political parties is direly needed to create Southern Punjab province.

Talking to media in Multan on Friday, Qureshi said that proposal to establish a separate Public Service Commission of South Punjab province is also under consideration.

He said that to strengthen the economy and attracting foreign investment in the country, the incumbent government is taking effective steps.

The foreign minister said promoting investment in the country is vital to tackle the menace of unemployment which is a major problem of the country.

He said the trade deficit is getting improved day by day due to prudent policies of the government.

Qureshi said the situation in the occupied Kashmir is getting worst expeditiously. To a question, he said a negotiated political settlement is required for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan.