Amid optimism by the Afghan government and the United States on a potential peace deal ahead of the upcoming polls in Afghanistan, the head of the High Peace Council, Mohammad Karim Khalili said he supports the efforts for the reconciliation process but added that an Islamic emirate will not be a responsive system for Afghanistan, which he says has seen a major change – compared to the Taliban era back in 1996-2001.

Khalili, who addressed the second consultative and political gathering of Hizb-e-Wahdat-e-Milli, led by him, said agreeing on an Islamic emirate as part of a peace deal means “surrender” of one party to another.

The Afghan government leaders on Wednesday welcomed US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s remarks about a potential peace agreement with the Taliban as he said that Washington hopes Afghanistan achieves a peace deal ahead of the presidential elections – scheduled for September 28.

Accompanied by the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad Pompeo arrived in Kabul for an unannounced visit on Tuesday. He visited India after his trip to Kabul.