Islamabad ready to facilitate Afghan-led peace process

Pakistan has reaffirmed its support and expressed readiness to encourage and facilitate wide-ranging Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process that is aimed at bringing Taliban into the mainstream politics of the country. Pakistan expressed this commitment in the first meeting of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for Peace held in Kabul on Wednesday.
"In light of the understanding reached at the inaugural meeting of the Joint Commission at the heads of government level held on June 11, 2011 in Islamabad, substantive deliberations were held at Wednesday's meeting in a cordial and constructive manner on a number of relevant aspects relating to the Afghan-led peace and reconciliation efforts with a view to make the move a success", said a joint statement issued here by Foreign Office.
Pakistani delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir, who was assisted by Mohammad Sadiq, Major General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmad, Major General Sahibzada Isfandyar Pataudi and Alamgir Babar. While Afghan delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin, who assisted by Masoom Stanakzai, Mohammad Umar Daudzai, Shaida Mohammad Abdali, General Hassamudin Marzi, Mohammad Younus Farman, General Afzal Aman and Fazal Karim Aimaq.
"The Government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan reaffirmed its support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process, and its readiness to encourage and facilitate the process that is all inclusive", said the joint statement after the working level meeting of the commission.
Both sides decided to set up specialised working groups to deliberate in-depth on related aspects and propose concrete steps to move forward in a responsible and sure-footed manner. Both sides agreed that the next meeting of the Commission will be held in Islamabad in August 2011.
Diplomatic sources said that the delegates of the two sides held in-depth discussion on peace in the region, particularly the Afghan-led peace and reconciliation process to bring various warring groups particularly those influenced by Islamabad in the mainstream politics. However, the sources said that there are many issues that still to be discussed when the commission will again meet in Islamabad next month.
An official of the Afghan Embassy in Islamabad who requested not to be named told Business Recorder that Kabul attaches great hopes with the peace talks and wants Islamabad to play its crucial role in bring the militants to table talks particularly those carrying out attacks in Afghanistan from across the border.
The Afghanistan-Pakistan Joint Commission for Reconciliation and Peace in Afghanistan was inaugurated on June 11, 2011 in Islamabad during Afghan President Hamid Karzai's visit in which prime ministers of the two countries led delegations of their respective countries. During the inaugural meeting the two sides had agreed that Afghan High Peace Council headed by former Afghan president Burhanuddin Rabbani, will act as the secretariat for the Joint Commission. It is also pertinent to mention here that the joint commission has been mandated to hold talks with those militant groups having influence in Afghanistan and carrying out attacks inside Afghanistan.