'Afghan peace process best course of action in Pakistan's view'

The stalled peace process between the Afghan government and the Taliban was the best course of action in Pakistan's view, said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz on Friday.

"The international community was also desirous of early resumption of the stalled peace process in Afghanistan, which in Pakistan's view was the best course of action," said Aziz.

Pakistan has assured the United Nations that it would facilitate the resumption of the peace process, if approached by the Afghan government.

"Pakistan wished to constructively and meaningfully engage with Afghanistan in all spheres of bilateral relations," added Aziz.

The advisor made these comments during a meeting with UN Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan Nicholas Haysom at the Foreign Office in Islamabad.

Sartaj Aziz stated on the occasion that an enduring peace can only come from an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan.

Haysom appreciated Pakistan's contribution towards peace and development in Afghanistan and lauded Pakistan's role in launching the much needed Afghan peace process.

He agreed that the Afghan peace dialogue would require strong regional backing and expressed hope that Pakistan would continue to play its facilitating role in the process.

The two sides also discuss the ongoing repatriation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan and their sustainable reintegration in Afghanistan.

Pakistan hosted a meeting was hosted between the Afghan Government and Afghan Taliban representatives in Murree on 7 July 2015 along with the representatives from China and the US.

The participants were duly mandated by their respective leadership and expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region.

The second round of the talks, which was scheduled to be held in Pakistan on 31 July 2015 was postponed in view of the reports regarding the death of Mulla Omar and the leadership crisis among Taliban.

New Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansoor in his first audio message released August 1 gave mixed signals about the peace process while vowing to continue jihad to implement Shariah and Islamic system.