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Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Meets Afghan Envoy

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday met Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Pakistan’s Express Tribune reported.

Matters of mutual interest including regional security were discussed in the meeting, a statement issued by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Zakhilwal thanked the army chief for his efforts in improving bilateral relations with Afghanistan, according to the report.

The meeting comes a day after US Deputy Assistant Secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice Wells held talks with Bajwa and discussed the role Pakistan can play in bringing about peace in Afghanistan.

Wells was in Islamabad to explore the possibility of resumption of the Afghan peace process.

During her visit, she met Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar and the army chief before leaving for Washington.

During the meeting with the army chief at the GHQ, views were exchanged on issues of mutual interest, regional security and cooperation between both the countries, according to a handout issued by the military’s media wing.

Pakistan’s Dawn News reported on Wednesday that Pakistan and the United States on Tuesday agreed to remain engaged for peace in Afghanistan.

This was agreed during a meeting between Wells and Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Islamabad. 

“Both reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and discussed measures towards that end. Both also agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Wells was on a three-day visit to Pakistan to again seek Pakistani authorities’ help for the Afghan peace process. She met Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa and Chief of the General Staff Lt Gen Bilal Akbar.

She also met business leaders and ambassadors from other embassies in Islamabad.

During her visit to Kabul, which preceded the Islamabad trip, Wells said Taliban’s refusal to join the political process was “unacceptable”. She had further accused the “Taliban ….who are not residing in Afghanistan” of being obstacle to the peace talks. She was apparently referring to Pakistan-based Taliban against whom the US has long asked for action.

The report said that during her meetings, she reminded her interlocutors of Pakistan’s commitment to take action against all terrorist groups that might be found on its territory. 

“Ambassador Wells discussed Pakistan’s stated commitment to eliminating all terrorist groups present within its borders,” the US embassy said in an apparent reference to the Taliban claimed to be present in Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Meets Afghan Envoy

Alice Wells was also in Islamabad to explore the possibility of the resumption of the Afghan peace process.

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Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday met Afghan Ambassador Hazrat Omar Zakhilwal at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Pakistan’s Express Tribune reported.

Matters of mutual interest including regional security were discussed in the meeting, a statement issued by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

Zakhilwal thanked the army chief for his efforts in improving bilateral relations with Afghanistan, according to the report.

The meeting comes a day after US Deputy Assistant Secretary at the State Department’s Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Ambassador Alice Wells held talks with Bajwa and discussed the role Pakistan can play in bringing about peace in Afghanistan.

Wells was in Islamabad to explore the possibility of resumption of the Afghan peace process.

During her visit, she met Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar and the army chief before leaving for Washington.

During the meeting with the army chief at the GHQ, views were exchanged on issues of mutual interest, regional security and cooperation between both the countries, according to a handout issued by the military’s media wing.

Pakistan’s Dawn News reported on Wednesday that Pakistan and the United States on Tuesday agreed to remain engaged for peace in Afghanistan.

This was agreed during a meeting between Wells and Bajwa at the General Headquarters in Islamabad. 

“Both reaffirmed the commitment towards the common goal of peace and stability in the region and discussed measures towards that end. Both also agreed on continued engagement at multiple levels,” the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

Wells was on a three-day visit to Pakistan to again seek Pakistani authorities’ help for the Afghan peace process. She met Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua, Chief of the Army Staff Gen Qamar Bajwa and Chief of the General Staff Lt Gen Bilal Akbar.

She also met business leaders and ambassadors from other embassies in Islamabad.

During her visit to Kabul, which preceded the Islamabad trip, Wells said Taliban’s refusal to join the political process was “unacceptable”. She had further accused the “Taliban ….who are not residing in Afghanistan” of being obstacle to the peace talks. She was apparently referring to Pakistan-based Taliban against whom the US has long asked for action.

The report said that during her meetings, she reminded her interlocutors of Pakistan’s commitment to take action against all terrorist groups that might be found on its territory. 

“Ambassador Wells discussed Pakistan’s stated commitment to eliminating all terrorist groups present within its borders,” the US embassy said in an apparent reference to the Taliban claimed to be present in Pakistan.

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