Pakistan has been somewhat active when it comes to mediating between the Taliban and the US with matters getting extremely heated between the parties involved. However, with a little bit of logical talks between US and Taliban, and necessary mediation by Pakistan, the peace deal is finally in initiation.
FM Qureshi stated the following regarding the deal:
When US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad visited Islamabad recently, both the prime minister and I held detailed meetings with him regarding the peace process. We constructed a roadmap to peace, I also told Khalilzad that the US and its allies around the region must remain wary of certain elements who benefit from continued fighting [in Afghanistan]. I warned him that these elements are bent on destroying the progress of our peace efforts.
The world must understand that the solution to Afghan conflict will only come through a political settlement based on diplomatic negotiations. Pompeo told me that the pathway to fixing relations between Pakistan and US came through Kabul. Now I would like to remind him that we have fulfilled all our promises. Not only did we build a peace team but we also played our role in ensuring that the negotiations were successful.
The deal will be signed in the presence of Pakistan because it was impossible for the deal to come through without our efforts. After February, we will try to build a delegation to promote intra-Afghan peace process and we have also decided when and how those talks will take place. Pakistan has played its role in the peace process with wholeheartedness and honesty and it is now incumbent upon the Afghan government to do the same.
The world knows that the two sides have been fighting for over 19 years. After US President Donald Trump cancelled the peace process in a single tweet after a death [of a US soldier], it was Pakistan who convinced the US to restart negotiations
The announcement followed the official peace signing between US and the Taliban with US withdrawing half of their forces from the country while Taliban holding off on their strikes on the civilian population in an attempt to takeover the country.
