FM urges Biden administration to further accelerate efforts.

ISLAMABAD -- Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday hoped that relationships between Pakistan and the US will be strengthened under the new US Administration. He also urged the United States to take Afghanistan withdrawal seriously as Joe Biden started his term as the President.

'Pakistan is ready to work with the new administration regarding Afghan peace process,' he said in an interview with a foreign television channel.

Highlighting the role of Pakistan in facilitating peace process in Afghanistan, he said the new US Administration should work to further accelerate the peace efforts. He noted that the spoilers of peace were responsible for recent violent activities in Afghanistan.

He stressed the need to move forward on intra-Afghan negotiations and asked Afghan leadership to lead these talks.

Foreign Minister Qureshi said Pakistan hoped for greater engagement with the new United States government and called on President Joe Biden to follow up on the ongoing Afghan peace process and withdrawal of US troops from the country.

'I think they (Biden administration) should realise there is an opportunity in Afghanistan and they should persevere with what was initiated and not reverse things,' Qureshi said, adding: 'Push them forward, because, after a long time, we have started moving in the right direction.'

Under last year's historic deal, all US troops are due to leave Afghanistan by April, but the Pentagon recently hinted it could delay that if violence does not abate. 'We are concerned because we feel violence can vitiate the climate,' Qureshi said.

Pakistan, he said, 'has done a lot, we have really bent backward to create an environment to facilitate the peace process.' He blamed 'spoilers' for the violence, identifying them as internal Afghan players 'who have benefited from the war economy.'

Qureshi said there were elements from outside 'who do not share our vision, which is a peaceful, stable, prosperous Afghanistan.' 'It is a shared responsibility to begin with but the ultimate responsibility is with the Afghan leadership. It's their country, it's their future,' he added.

The FM said: 'Our approach...