Pak in favour of reconciliation despite Afghan Taliban’s rejection of peace offer: FO

ISLAMABAD - Pakistan has said that it would continue to support Afghanistan’s efforts to establish peace and stability in the country through reconciliation with the Taliban.

Addressing a regular briefing here, Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit said that the outcome of the peace jirga, which was held in Kabul earlier this month, should be given due consideration during the international conference on Afghanistan scheduled to be held next month.

“The peace jirga held in Kabul on June 2 has come up with a broad range of recommendations. As you are aware, an international conference on Afghanistan is being held in Kabul on July20. The outcome of the peace jirga, in our view, should be given due consideration at the Kabul conference,” The Daily Times quoted Basit, as saying.

It is worth mentioning here that the Afghan Taliban had rejected the consultative peace jirga’s demand to shun violence and join the process to bring stability in war torn Afghanistan, saying it would continue its struggle until foreign forces pull out of the country.

“The jirga is indeed a gathering of government supporters and agents of foreigners. The Taliban don’t accept jirgas and reject its demands. If the jirga is really concerned about the welfare of Afghanistan, it should first extend steps for the withdrawal of foreign forces,” a self proclaimed spokesperson Qari Muhammad Yousuf Ahmadi had said, while blaming President Karzai for delaying the exit of foreign forces by offering a truce. (ANI)