Pakistan welcomes Afghan jirga’s decison on Taliban prisoners

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has welcomed the Afghan Loya Jirga’s recommendation to release remaining 400 prisoners.

“We hope that with implementation of this step relating to the prisoners’ release, as envisaged in the U.S.-Taliban Peace Agreement, the Intra-Afghan Negotiations will commence at the earliest,” the foreign affairs ministry said in a statement on August 9.

“Pakistan has repeatedly emphasized that the Afghan leaders must seize this historic opportunity and work together constructively through Intra-Afghan Negotiations to secure a comprehensive, broad-based and inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.”

The international community must also reinforce its support for the success of Intra-Afghan Negotiations for sustained and durable peace and stability in Afghanistan. For its part, Pakistan has consistently supported an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.

Pakistan’s positive contribution to the process is internationally recognized. Pakistan reaffirms its support for a peaceful, stable, united, democratic, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, at peace with itself and with its neighbors, it added.