ISLAMABAD: Zalmay Khalilzad, US special envoy tasked to oversee America’s negotiations with the Afghan Taliban, has postponed his three-day visit to Pakistan on ‘technical reasons’. He was expected to visit Islamabad on February 18 (tomorrow).
The diplomatic sources confirmed that Khalilzad would not come to Pakistan on Monday. Resultantly, the peace talks between US officials and Taliban have been deferred for now. Also, the delegation of the Afghan Taliban, which was expected to arrive on February 17 (today), will not be coming to Pakistan.
The last-minute delay has resulted in delaying the peace talks.
The US Secretary of State’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation, Ambassador Khalilzad, is leading an intra-agency delegation and holding meetings with officials in different countries in order to “facilitate an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan”.
US Ambassador Paul Jones called Secretary Temina Janjua on Friday. No statement was issued by both sides but Pulwama issue and US statement about the incident was discussed, according to Diplomatic sources. Pakistan conveyed concerns on the content of US statement.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate regarding Islamabad meeting said in a statement that a meeting was scheduled to take place between the negotiation team of Islamic Emirate and a delegation of United States on 18th of February 2019 in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
The Islamic Emirate had arranged for their representatives to participate but unfortunately, most members of the negotiations team were unable to travel due to the US and UN blacklist and the meeting was postponed.
It should be reminded, the official said, that the delay was not related to the Islamic Emirate because the Islamic Emirate had held complete preparations for the meeting.
He said that all media reports in this regard such as cancellation by the Islamic Emirate or due to other reasons are untrue.
