The NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in Burssels on Monday and appreciated Pakistan's role in the Afghan peace process and said, "Pakistan's positive role is imperative for regional peace and stability".

Stoltenberg said that they value of NATO-Pakistan political dialogue and practical cooperation and expressed his appreciation for Pakistan’s continuous support to NATO’s long-standing efforts in Afghanistan.

He welcomed Pakistan’s recent steps in support of an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and the latest encouraging developments in the bilateral relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. 

The NATO chief highlighted that an intra-Afghan dialogue should start as soon as possible. 

He said that momentum for peace should be preserved - including through a constructive approach from all countries in the region - and that lasting peace and security in Afghanistan will benefit regional stability.

This comes as Pakistan hosted a meeting on Afghan peace earlier this week where senior Afghan politicians had attended.