ISLAMABAD: The first round of quadrilateral meeting of Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and the United States on Afghan peace process will take place on 16th of next month.
This was stated by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif while making a statement in the Senate today on Army Chief General Raheel Sharif’s recent visit to Kabul.
He said the meeting will clearly demarcate responsibilities of each stakeholder at all stages.
The Minister said the Army Chief carried a message to Kabul that the peace process will necessarily be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned.
He said the two sides agreed that they will pursue peace and reconciliation with the Taliban groups willing to join the process. The elements who continue to pursue violence will be dealt under a mutually worked out framework. It was also agreed that peace process should not be allowed to suffer only because some elements are not part of it.
A decree will be sought from Ulema, and it will be later endorsed at the OIC level to facilitate the peace process.
Khawaja Asif told the House that the two countries will not allow their soil to be used against each other. There will be intelligence sharing, and intelligence based operations will be carried out against terrorists.
