Taliban to be invited to meeting on Afghanistan

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): The Taliban government will be invited to the third ministerial meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours.

Dates are yet to be firmed up for the meeting that is scheduled to be held in China. The consultations may take place early next year.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi called for the international recognition of the Taliban government.

Addressing a meeting of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, he said Pakistan’s strategy had been to maintain constructive engagement with the war-ravaged country.

“Afghanistan’s interim government will also be invited to the next meeting of Afghanistan’s neighbours,” the foreign minister added.

After the Taliban takeover in mid-August, Pakistan worked out a new mechanism for consultations among Afghanistan’s neighbours on developments in that country.

The format includes China, Iran, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, in addition to Russia.

The inaugural meeting took place in Islamabad on September 8, while the second meeting was hosted by Iran on October 27.

Yet to be recognised internationally, the Taliban were not invited to either of the meetings.

mud