Afghan leader Ustad Karim Khalili to arrive in Pakistan today

• Ustad Karim Khalili will be in Pakistan for a three-day trip
• Khalili will hold meetings with PM Imran Khan and other leaders
• FO says visit is part of policy to reach out to Afghan political leadership

ISLAMABAD: An Afghan delegation led by Hezb-e-Wahdat-e Islami leader Ustad Karim Khalili will arrive in Islamabad today for a three-day visit to Pakistan, said a Foreign Office statement issued on Sunday.

The FO said that the Ustad Karim Khalili will hold meetings with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and other leaders.

"The visit of Ustad Karim Khalili is part of Pakistan’s ongoing policy to reach out to political leadership in Afghanistan to forge a common understanding on the Afghan peace process and deepen people-to-people linkages," said the FO regarding the three-day trip.

The FO, while talking about the visit said that Pakistan's fraternal ties with Afghanistan are deep-rooted in "shared history, faith, culture, values and traditions". 

Read more: UK High Commissioner lauds Pakistan Army’s role in Afghan peace process, regional stability

"Pakistan fully supports all efforts for peace, stability and prosperity of the Afghan people," said the FO.

Pakistan reiterated its support for an "inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political solution" for the war in Afghanistan via a Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

The visit by the Afghan leader comes as the talks between the Afghan Taliban and Ashraf Ghani-led government resumed last week. 

Peace talk resumes in Doha

Afghan negotiators resumed talks with the Taliban in a bid to end bloodshed and find a political roadmap for the country after a spike in violence across Afghanistan threatened peace prospects.

The talks are ongoing amid growing doubt over a US-Taliban peace deal brokered by outgoing President Donald Trump.

As ordered by Trump, an accelerated withdrawal of US troops means just 2,500 American soldiers will still be in Afghanistan when President-elect Joe Biden takes office this month.

Read more: Peace talks between Afghan negotiators, Taliban resume in Doha amid surge in violence

Biden has advocated keeping a small intelligence-based presence in Afghanistan, but Taliban leaders have flatly rejected the presence of any foreign troops on Afghan soil. 

Officials familiar with the US-Taliban peace deal say there is no wiggle room that would allow even a small number of foreign troops to remain in Afghanistan.