FM Qureshi lauds 'collective efforts' in Afghanistan peace process

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Sunday lauded the "collective efforts" of all parties in the ongoing Afghanistan peace process, noting that it was now at an "unprecedented point".

"All stakeholders must ensure residual issues [are] resolved to commence Intra-Afghan negotiations [without] delay," Qureshi said on Twitter.

"The [importance] of seizing this historic [opportunity] cannot be stressed enough," he added.

The foreign minister had earlier this year said the Afghan peace treaty would be signed in Pakistan's presence, noting that the efforts for the Afghan peace process' success were a Herculean task.

“It was not an easy task and Pakistan's honest efforts made the process finally successful and result-oriented,” he had said.

Also read: Afghan peace treaty to be signed in Pakistan's presence, says Qureshi

Qureshi had added that the country made the world realise that Afghan peace was only possible through peace talks and not war. “Pakistan convinced the world to make efforts for a political solution to the Afghan problem through dialogue.

"It was hard to convince the Taliban for the peace process, but Pakistan made them join the process,” the foreign minister had said.

'Danger to the world' Taliban prisoners being released

Prospects of peace in Afghanistan after 19 long years of war brightened earlier this week when Kabul started releasing 400 Taliban prisoners who were described by President Ashraf Ghani as a "danger to the world" on Friday.

The Afghan government and the Taliban are set to meet within days of the prisoner release being completed, in a move that has drawn widespread condemnation after it emerged many of the inmates were involved in attacks that killed scores of Afghans and foreigners.

A group of 80 prisoners was released on Thursday, the spokesperson for the National Security Council, Javid Faisal, said, adding that it would "speed up efforts for direct talks and a lasting, nationwide ceasefire".

Read more: Afghanistan govt begins to release Taliban prisoners ahead of peace talks

The peace talks were to be held in Doha, Qatar.

The release of the 400 militants was approved at the weekend by a gathering of thousands of prominent Afghans called by Ghani after the authorities initially refused to free the militants.

The prisoners include some 44 insurgents of particular concern to the United States and other countries for their role in high-profile attacks.

Earlier this month, the Afghan government released hundreds of militant prisoners in a bid to bring peace talks closer.