Daily Times

Pakistan will attend a UN-sponsored crucial two-day conference being held in Doha from February 18 to 19 to discuss the roadmap for engagement with the Afghan Taliban government.

Ambassador Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan, will lead the Pakistan delegation at the meeting of the special envoys on Afghanistan to be held in the Qatari capital, an official handout issued here on Friday by the foreign office said. “The meeting is being convened by the UN Secretary-General to discuss approaches for international engagement with Afghanistan in a more coherent and structured manner,” the statement added.

It further said Pakistan’s participation in the meeting was part of its efforts to actively engage with the international community, including the United Nations, to strengthen the efforts for lasting peace and prosperity in Afghanistan. The conference, second in less than a year, is being hosted by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Special envoys from UN member states and international organisations will attend the conference and representatives from Afghan civil society, women’s groups and Taliban officials have also been invited. The conference is a critical, high-level opportunity for donors and the region to chart next steps on how to improve the situation in Afghanistan and engage with the Taliban regime, according to the US Institute of Peace.

The conference will discuss the ongoing humanitarian and human rights crises and the recent report on a way forward by UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan Feridun Sinirlio?lu. The Afghan Taliban government has also been invited to the conference but its participation is not certain yet. The Taliban government wants to be treated as legitimate representatives of Afghanistan.