Pakistan delivers: Afghan Taliban willing to shun violence.

Byline: SHAFQAT ALI

ISLAMABAD -- In a major breakthrough for peace and a huge diplomatic victory for Pakistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi yesterday announced that the Afghanistan Taliban were willing to shun violence as US-Taliban peace talks entered the final phase.

In a video message, the FM said that the Afghan Taliban - who are in talks with the US: had expressed willingness for reduction in violence. 'This is a step toward peace agreement in Afghanistan,' he added - indicating a major diplomatic victory for Pakistan.

The Foreign Minister said that talks between the US and the Taliban had been continuing for some time and Pakistan - having arranged the talks for the sake of peace: desired progress in the talks. He reiterated that Pakistan, Afghanistan and the region needed peace and stability to progress.

Last month, Pakistan and the US had shown satisfaction with the recent talks between the US and the Afghan Taliban in Doha, Qatar.

United States top negotiator for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad - who is expected to visit Islamabad soon - had met Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa separately during his one-day visit to the federal capital.

'During the meeting, both the leaders discussed Afghan peace process and regional security. They also deliberated on overall law and order situation,' a foreign ministry statement had said.

Recently, the US and Taliban officials announced a resumption of official negotiations for the first time since President Donald Trump abruptly halted talks three months ago to end the 18-year war.

Zalmay Khalilzad had met Taliban officials on December 7 in Qatar, the scene of previous negotiations, and continued the talks on December 8.

The restart follows Trump's surprise Thanksgiving visit to see US troops in Afghanistan on November 28, when he expressed hope that 'the Taliban wants to make a deal and we are meeting with them.'

Trump, the third US commander in chief to preside over America's longest war since a US-led coalition ousted the Taliban leadership following the 9/11 attacks on the United States, has expressed a desire to withdraw the estimated 12,000 US troops from Afghanistan.

As the peace deal between the US and the Taliban becomes obvious, the US has started getting warmer to Pakistan. The Donald Trump administration has approved a resumption of Pakistan's participation in a coveted US military training and educational program more than a year after it...