US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in Rawalpindi on Monday, Radio Pakistan reported.
“The regional security situation, the Afghan peace process, with particular reference to border management, and the way forward for lasting peace in Afghanistan were discussed during the meeting,” the report said.
Khalilzad appreciated Pakistan’s untiring efforts for facilitating the process towards the mutual objective of peace in the region, it added.
Khalilzad is the Trump administration’s special representative for Afghan peace and played a key role in arranging the US-Taliban deal and the joint declaration earlier this year.
The US envoy had also called on the army chief last month to discuss matters related to mutual interest, peace and stability in the region, Pak-Afghan border management, and current developments in the Afghan peace process, according to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations.
In October, he had warned that “distressingly high” levels of violence in Afghanistan could derail ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. “Unfounded charges of violations and inflammatory rhetoric do not advance peace,” he had said in a statement issued in Washington. “Instead, we should pursue strict adherence to all articles of the US-Taliban agreement and US-Afghanistan joint declaration and not neglect the commitment to gradually reduce violence,” he had added. Meanwhile, the COAS said last week that Pakistan and Afghanistan could not afford the risk of lawlessness and chaos as such a situation would have catastrophic consequences for both countries. Pakistan has always desired peace in Afghanistan and would spare no effort to restore peace and stability in the neighbouring country, he had said.
