Pakistan welcomes Afghan offer of dialogue with Taliban

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) - Pakistan on Thursday welcomed Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s offer to seek peace through dialogue with the Taliban and assured Pakistan would extend all possible help to bring peace to Afghanistan, local media reported.

Following an international peace conference held in Kabul on Wednesday, Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal met retired Lt. Gen. Nasser Khan Janjua, Pakistan's national security advisor, and conveyed the Afghan president's message for cordial relations with Pakistan to bring lasting peace to the region, local daily The Nation reported.

“Pakistan welcomed President Ghani’s offer of seeking peace through dialogue and we are ready to extend all possible support to bring peace in Afghanistan” Janjua told the ambassador

“We discussed a wide range of issues pertaining to Afghanistan-Pakistan bilateral relations, the current environment and specific steps for a positive and constructive path forward,” Zakhilwal tweeted after the meeting

On Wednesday, during a peace conference in Kabul, the Afghan president offered unconditional peace talks and called on the Taliban to shun violence and become a political party.

Ghani also announced that state-to-state talks would be initiated with Pakistan to assure coordinated efforts to support the proposed talks with the Taliban.

"We will be ready to start talks with Pakistan and forget the past and start a new chapter,” Ghani said.