21 January 2019•Update: 21 January 2019
By Islamuddin Sajid
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan
Top U.S. envoy for Afghan reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad completed his four-day visit to Pakistan and left for Qatar on Sunday night.
During his four day-long stay in capital Islamabad, Khalilzad met with Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Chief of Army Staff Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa and other officials.
"Just completed #Pakistan leg of my current trip in the region to advance the peace process. Good meetings. I appreciate their [Pakistan] hospitality & resolve to push for Afghan peace," Khalilzad said in a Twitter post.
“We're heading in the right direction with more steps by Pakistan coming that will lead to concrete results,” he said.
Meanwhile, U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also visited Islamabad on Sunday and held meetings with Pakistani prime minister and foreign minister.
Analysts believed the presence of several top U.S. officials in Islamabad is "meaningful" and that both side have discussed ways to advance the peace process to end 17-year-long conflict in Afghanistan.
Generals meet
Also, a U.S. delegation led by General Joseph L. Votel, commander U.S. CENTCOM, met with Pakistani Army chief Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa at army headquarters in Rawalpindi on Sunday.
According to Inter-Services Public Relation (ISPR), a Pakistan army media wing, the geo-strategic environment, regional security, and Afghan peace and reconciliation were discussed during the meeting.
Bajwa reiterated that peace in Afghanistan is vital for regional peace, and that despite constraints Pakistan has contributed to all efforts for regional peace and would continue to do so.
The visiting U.S. general praised the Pakistani Army’s efforts for regional peace and stability.
