ISLAMABAD, May 14 -- Pakistan on Thursday emphasized on the implementation of the agreement between the United States and the Taliban for Afghan peace, amid spike in violence in Afghanistan.
"Pakistan believes that the U.S.-Taliban Peace Agreement has provided a window of opportunity to the people of Afghanistan to work together for the ultimate aim of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. We hope that the Peace Agreement is implemented in its entirety so that it leads to the next stage of Intra-Afghan negotiations," Aisha Farooqui, spokesperson of the Pakistani Foreign Ministry said at her weekly briefing.
Farooqui was asked to offer comments about the Taliban rejection of calls for humanitarian ceasefire and Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani's order to security forces to end active defense position and resume offensives on militant groups including the Taliban.
She said there is no proposal under consideration by Pakistan to host intra-Afghan negotiations in Islamabad but said efforts are underway to help get the intra-Afghan negotiations initiated, which is the next logical step after the signing of the U.S.-Taliban peace agreement.
"We hope that these efforts are successful at the earliest," Farooqui said, adding Pakistan and Afghanistan share the ultimate objective of a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.
"Pakistan has always supported a peaceful, democratic, united, stable and prosperous Afghanistan connected with the region. Both countries maintain regular contact on issues of mutual concern. Pakistan hopes that a lasting peace will be established in Afghanistan," the spokesperson said.
The Taliban and the United States signed the agreement in Qatar in late February, which paves the way for withdrawal of all foreign troops.
The agreement faces challenges as the intra-Afghan dialogue that was scheduled to start on March 10 could not start due to differences over the release of 5,000 Taliban prisoners.