Pakistan efforts vital behind US-Taliban talks: Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan’s efforts helped bringing the United States and the Taliban to a negotiation table, ARY News reported on Sunday.

Speaking to media this morning, Qureshi said talks were the only solution for durable peace for both the parties.

He was of the view that Pakistan had earlier promised to play its due role in Afghan peace process. He said the world accepted Pakistan’s stance on the peace process, now we are sure about more good news in the future.

“We are concerned about peace in the region, not money,” stated Qureshi. The foreign minister said: “We are one nation, not beggars.”

Foreign troops to quit Afghanistan in 18 months under draft deal: Taliban officials

To a question, he said the Pakistan People’s Party tried to create misconception on the issue of Public Accounts Committee chairmanship. “To move along with assembly proceedings, we agreed to the opposition’s demand and nominated the PAC chairman from their benches.”

The PPP insists that the PAC chairman should be opposition leader of the House, but it doesn’t apply the same in Sindh, Qureshi said.

Regarding Sheikh Rasheed’s objection on the nomination of Shehbaz Sharif as PAC head, Qureshi said he respected the opinion given by Rasheed.

He said he would visit Muscat two days later, and will subsequently head to London to present Pakistan’s view on the disputed territory.

It may be noted here that Taliban officials, according to foreign wire services, said the United States negotiators on Saturday agreed a draft peace deal stipulating the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan within 18 months of the agreement being signed.

The details were provided to Reuters by Taliban sources at the end of six days of talks with U.S. special peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar aimed at ending the United States’ longest war.

Khalilzad is heading to the Afghan capital Kabul to brief President Ashraf Ghani after the longer-than expected talks, the sources and a diplomat said.

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