28 September 2017

News Story: Pakistan’s Army Chief to Visit Kabul for Talks

General Qamar Javed Bajwa
By Sayed Sharif Amiri

The Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Tuesday announced that Pakistan’s chief of army staff general Qamar Javed Bajwa is expected to visit Afghanistan in the next five days where he will hold talks with Afghan officials.

According to the MoD, among the issues discussed will be that of peace talks with the Taliban. 

The Afghan government will reiterate its call to Pakistan to take action against terrorist hideouts and safe havens inside Pakistan territory, said MoD spokesman Dawlat Waziri. 

Meanwhile, prominent Pakistani politician and chairman of Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf party, Imran Khan, has said more violence, more bloodshed and more bombings in Afghanistan is not the answer.

He said dialogue was the solution. 

"I think Donald Trump's policy is deeply flawed. He neither understands the history of Pakistan nor the character of the Afghan people," Khan said in an interview with The Associated Press.

“To blame Pakistan for this failed policy and then giving credit to India for some reason which does not border Afghanistan …. If Pakistan army, government had any leverage with the Taliban then surely they (the US) should ask Pakistan to play a role in building peace and getting them to the dialogue table but not what they are proposing – more violence, more bloodshed, more bombing … I think Pakistan has done enough.”

"More fighting and bloodshed is not the answer. I said it 17 years ago and I am still saying this now," he said.

Read the full story at TOLOnews