Summary FO says Pakistan was ready to assist the reconciliation process between Afghan govt and Taliban.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The spokesman of Foreign Office Aizaz Choudhry said that Pakistan was ready to provide a platform for direct talks between Afghan government and Taliban leaders.
Talking to Dunya News Tuesday, Aizaz claimed that Afghan President Hamid Karzai had made a request to Pakistan in this regard during his recent visit to Pakistan. He said Pakistani leadership had assured the Afghan leadership of diplomatic support for breaking ice between the Afghan government and Taliban.
The modalities about the platform would be finalised through diplomatic contacts between the two sides.
President Hamid Karzai earlier urged Pakistan to facilitate peace talks between his country and the Taliban during a visit to Islamabad.
He said the Pakistani government could provide opportunities for talks between the Afghan High Peace Council and the militants.
Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that he wanted to help regional efforts to stabilise Afghanistan.
Officials say that the fact that Mr Karzai s talks in Islamabad will continue on Tuesday - when he will meet Mr Sharif again - indicates that so far they have gone well and that the two sides have something concrete to talk about.
In their public statements after their talks, both Mr Sharif and Mr Karzai mentioned the problem of militant violence - although Mr Karzai focused much more on it.
Three times in his brief speech Mr Karzai said that a joint fight against militancy was needed and that he pinned "great hopes" on the re-elected Mr Sharif, who came back to power in June.
Afghanistan believes that Taliban safe havens in Pakistan are the main cause of increased violence in the country.
