The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad will arrive on Saturday in Islamabad, and will meet with Pakistani officials, Pakistan media outlets reported.
 
This comes after his September visit to Pakistan with the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who met Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Qamar Javed Bajwa the army chief of Pakistan.
 
According to reports Khalilzad will lead a delegation to Afghanistan, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia until October 14.
 
Khalilzad’s mission is to coordinate and lead US efforts to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table, the statement said, adding that “He will do so in close coordination with the Afghan government and other stakeholders, exploring how best to reach a negotiated settlement to the conflict.”
 
The trip is his first visit following his appointment as Special Representative and reflects the Administration’s intent to support, facilitate, and participate in a peace process in Afghanistan.
 
After announcing Khalilzad’s appointment, the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a memo: “There is no one better suited for this duty than an expert diplomat like ambassador Khalilzad, who was born and raised in Afghanistan, and has previously served as the US ambassador to Afghanistan, Iraq, and the United Nations.”
 
Pompeo said he was confident in Khalilzad’s ability to execute the mission.
 
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi had also confirmed that the visiting delegation's visa process was dealt with priority, Pakistani media reported.
 
In addition to his experience advising or working for four US. administrations and his knowledge of Afghanistan’s main languages, culture and politics, he is close to President Ashraf Ghani, the former official said.