ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Pakistan on Thursday said it was approaching all factions of Taliban and other groups to bring them to negotiating table for the direct peace talks with the Afghan government.
In his weekly media briefing at the Foreign Office in Islamabad on Thursday, the Foreign Office Spokesman Muhammad Nafees Zakaria said all Taliban factions had been invited to participate through their authorized representatives in the first round of direct peace talks, expected to take place in March’s first week in Islamabad.
The spokesman said besides Pakistan, all members of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) including Afghanistan, China and the United States were committed and were putting their best efforts to ensure peace in Afghanistan.
“The focus is to restore peace and assist Afghanistan in its efforts for reconciliation,” he said.
He said peace and stability in Afghanistan was essential for regional peace and mentioned that the Hearts of Asia Conferences held over the years, would also help regain peace in Afghanistan.
