United States Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad on Wednesday called on Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss regional security and the peace initiative in Afghanistan, the military’s spokesperson said. The visiting dignitary appreciated Pakistan’s efforts for Afghan peace process,” Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted. The army chief reiterated that “peace in Afghanistan is important for Pakistan” and assured that continuous efforts will be carried out “for bringing peace and stability in the region”. Earlier this week, Washington had welcomed Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. The acknowledgement came a day after Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Pakistan had arranged another round of talks between the US and Taliban officials but he did not say when and where. “The United States welcomes any actions by the Pakistani government to promote greater cooperation, including fostering negotiations between the Taliban, the Afghan government, and other Afghans,” a US Embassy spokesperson was quoted as saying. Prime Minister Khan had also highlighted Pakistan’s “abiding interest” in achieving lasting peace and reconciliation in war-torn Afghanistan through a political settlement. Published in Daily Times, December 20th2018.