Daily Times

US Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad has sought Pakistan’s support in pressing for a reduction in violence, the US embassy said on Saturday, as the US envoy wrapped up his visit to Pakistan.

Khalilzad visited Islamabad and met army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa to discuss challenges in the way of Afghan peace process.

A US embassy statement said Khalilzad discussed the ongoing efforts by the United States to advance the Afghan peace process and also called for Pakistan’s cooperation in the immediate start of intra-Afghan negotiations. “Pakistan’s military leaders reaffirmed their support for US efforts,” the statement said. The intra-Afghan dialogue was scheduled to start on March 10 under the Taliban-US agreement but could not start in view of the differences over release of Taliban prisoners. Taliban have refused to join the intra-Afghan dialogue unless their 5,000 prisoners are freed. Under the deal, Taliban will also release 1,000 government’s prisoners.

Afghan government said on Saturday that 1,000 Taliban prisoners have been released so far while Taliban say over 200 prisoners have been released. The US embassy said Khalilzad also sought assistance in obtaining freedom of American citizen Mark Frerichs, who according to the US media was kidnapped in early February in Afghanistan’s eastern Khost province that borders Pakistan’s North Waziristan tribal district. No group has claimed responsibility for kidnapping of Frerichs and Khalilzad has spoken about him for the very first time.