PM Imran Khan urges for reduction in violence in call with Afghan president

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan held a telephonic conversation with President Ashraf Ghani to discuss the Afghan peace process and urged the warring groups to reduce violence in the country.

The premier reaffirmed Islamabad’s steadfast support to the Afghan peace process and noted the positive results of those efforts culminating the US-Taliban Peace Agreement and the commencement of Intra-Afghan Negotiations, read the statement issued by the PM Office on Friday.

Appreciating the steps taken by relevant sides to enable the start of Intra-Afghan Negotiations in Doha, the premier underlined the importance of all Afghan parties working for a reduction in the violence leading to a ceasefire.

Read more: Imran Khan and Ashraf Ghani discuss progress in Afghan peace process

He further emphasised that all the Afghan stakeholders must seize the historic opportunity, and work together to secure an inclusive and comprehensive political agreement through the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process.

Pakistan would fully support the decisions that the Afghan people would take about their future, he added

The prime minister also underlined the importance Pakistan attaches to constructive engagement with Afghanistan, and to peace, stability, and prosperity of the Afghan people.

He noted that the Chairman of the Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation (HCNR), Dr Abdullah Abdullah, would be visiting Islamabad next week.

Thanking President Ghani for the invitation extended to him to visit Afghanistan, the prime minister conveyed that he would undertake the visit at the earliest opportunity.