Pakistani premier to head to Kabul on landmark visit

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi will embark on a landmark visit to Kabul on Friday on the invitation of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Pakistan’s Foreign Office said.

The premier’s visit is taking place in the backdrop of Pakistan’s support to President Ghani’s offer of peace talks to the Taliban for lasting peace and stability in Afghanistan, Mohammad Faisal, spokesman for Pakistan’s Foreign Office, told reporters during his weekly briefing.

During his visit, Abbasi will have in-depth consultations with Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah on matters related to strengthening bilateral political, economic, security and counter-terrorism cooperation, as well as return of Afghan refugees, Faisal added.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have had rocky relations since the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in 2002 with both side accusing each other of using militants against each other.

On Feb. 28, Afghan president announced to hold unconditional peace talks with Afghan Taliban. Ghani also invited Pakistan to forget the past and begins new era to bring peace in the region.

“Pakistan want peace and a stable Afghanistan as no one desires peace in that war-turn country more than us,” Khawaja Asif, Pakistan foreign minister said on Thursday.

Pakistan had brokered the first round of direct talks between the fragile Afghan government and Taliban in Islamabad in July 2015. The process broke down when Taliban announced the death of their long-term leader Mullah Omer triggering a bitter power struggle within the group.

The resumption of peace talks dimmed further after Mullah Omer’s successor, Mullah Mansur, was killed in a U.S. drone attack in Pakistan near Afghan border in 2016.

Since then, several attempts have been made, with little success, to resume the stalled peace process by a four-nation group comprising of Pakistan, Afghanistan, the U.S. and China.

Abbasi will also visit China on April 8 after returning from Kabul.