By Islamuddin Sajid
ISLAMABAD (AA) – The US secretary of state and Pakistan’s foreign minister spoke over the phone and discussed the peace process in Afghanistan.
In a statement issued by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, Pakistan’s Shah Mahmood Qureshi received a phone call from Antony J. Blinken.
"As regards the situation in Afghanistan, the Foreign Minister [Qureshi] stressed that there was a fundamental convergence between Pakistan and the United States on the need for a peaceful settlement in Afghanistan," the statement said.
The phone call came on the day when the Taliban claimed controlling 85% of the Afghan territory after capturing dozens of districts in recent days.
Highlighting the steps Pakistan has taken in support of the Afghan peace process, Qureshi said that securing peace in Afghanistan is the shared responsibility of all stakeholders inside Afghanistan as well as key regional and international players.
"It was imperative for all relevant stakeholders to press all Afghan parties to engage constructively towards achieving an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement," he said.
Secretary Blinken, for his part, said he looks forward to continuing cooperation on the Afghan peace process.
"Pakistani Foreign Minister @SMQureshiPTI and I had a call to underscore our desire for a stable and sustainable bilateral relationship. I look forward to continuing cooperation on the Afghan peace process, tackling COVID-19, supporting regional stability, and other key issues," he said on Twitter.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said that the US military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on Aug. 31.