ISLAMABAD, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has called for "practical steps for reduction of violence in Afghanistan" in his meeting with U.S. Special Representative for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad in Islamabad late Monday.
The prime minister's office said Khan assured the U.S. envoy of Pakistan's "steadfast and sincere" support to the peace and reconciliation process in war-ravaged Afghanistan.
This is Khalilzad's second visit to Pakistan this month which is mainly focused on his renewed efforts to resume the stalled peace process with the Taliban. He met the Taliban top negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Islamabad earlier this month.
U.S. President Donald Trump called off talks with the Taliban in early September after a Taliban suicide bomber killed an American soldier and at least 10 other people in Afghan capital Kabul.
Taliban political spokesman Suhail Shaheen has claimed in reported comments that the United States and the Taliban had agreed to sign the peace agreement on Sept. 13 that would be followed by Taliban's ceasefire against the foreign forces but Trump's abrupt cancellation of the peace process blocked the signing of the deal.
Khalilzad held talks with the Pakistani prime minister after he met senior Afghan government leaders and politicians in Kabul to explore ways for revival of the peace process with the Taliban.
According to the prime minister's office, Khan "underlined the need to overcome the difficulties in this regard so that an enduring political solution to the Afghan conflict could be achieved at the earliest."
"The Prime Minister stressed that it was important for all sides to take practical steps for reduction of violence in Afghanistan. The Prime Minister further underscored that it was equally important to guard against the negative narratives and efforts by any quarter to undermine the progress made so far through painstaking efforts," the statement further said.
"As a sincere facilitator and a friend, Pakistan remains ready to do everything possible in its capacity, as part of a shared responsibility, for early conclusion of a peace deal," Khan was quoted as telling the U.S. envoy.
Prior to his visit to Pakistan, Khalilzad had attended a four-party meeting, involving China, Pakistan, Russia and the United States, in Moscow on Friday.
A joint statement said Russia, China and Pakistan expressed their support for the earliest resumption of negotiation process and reaching an agreement between the United States and the Taliban movement, which will pave the way for launching intra-Afghan talks.
He also travelled to Brussels and Paris and held talks with the European Union, NATO, and UN officials and reviewed how best to support accelerated efforts to reach peace in Afghanistan.
