Pakistan hopes Murree talks will lead to peace in Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is confident that the Murree talks between the Afghan Taliban and the government of President Ashraf Ghani will resume soon and would help in paving the way for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“The Pak-Afghan relations are moving along a positive trajectory and the successful holding of the first round of peace talks was an important milestone. Pakistan is adamant on its commitment to an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and there is a need for continuous regional and international engagement with Afghanistan in meeting the challenges of peace and security, as well as economic development,” Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Syed Tariq Fatemi, said on Wednesday.
Earlier on Tuesday, while throwing light on the Afghan peace talks, COAS General Raheel Sharif had told the corps commanders conference, “It is the only credible way to achieve lasting peace.”
Fatemi was talking to the Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Afghanistan, Tadamichi Yamamoto who called on him on Wednesday. This was Yamamoto’s first visit to Pakistan since his appointment as Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General in October 2014.
During the meeting, the situation in Afghanistan, as well as the ongoing regional and international efforts for Afghanistan’s stability, came under discussion, the spokesman at the Foreign Office said in a statement.
Tadamichi appreciated Pakistan’s strong support for the UNAMA’s mandate, as well as its role towards international efforts for peace and stability in Afghanistan. He also highlighted the UNAMA’s role towards coordinating international civilian efforts for ensuring peace and stability in Afghanistan.
Online adds: Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to further strengthen bilateral ties in different sectors to raise the cooperation between the two countries to new heights.The understanding was reached at a meeting between recently arrived Ambassador-designate of Saudi Arabia to Pakistan Abdullah Marzouk Al-Zahrani and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Syed Tariq Fatemi in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Fatemi welcomed the ambassador-designate and expressed his best wishes for the success of Abdullah Marzouk Al-Zahrani’s assignment in Pakistan and assured him of the fullest support of the Government of Pakistan.