Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan met with the Taliban delegation led by their deputy leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.

The discussions focused on the progress in the Afghan peace process and the way forward, Khan’s office said.

In this meeting, Khan reiterated that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, adding that the Intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to the Afghan leaders for achieving durable peace and stability through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.

He expressed hope that the Afghan parties would continue to build on the recent positive developments in the peace negotiations.

Khan underscored Pakistan’s consistent support to an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement, the statement said, adding that he also underlined the need to be vigilant about the role of spoilers, who continue to make attempts to disrupt and derail the peace process.

He expressed concern over the high level of violence and called on all sides for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire.

The Prime Minister highlighted that return of peace and stability in Afghanistan would provide a strong impetus to economic development, regional integration, and connectivity, benefitting Afghanistan and the region.

The statement said that the Taliban delegation’s visit is part of Pakistan’s serious efforts to facilitate Afghan peace process to achieve a peaceful, stable, united, independent, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan.

Taliban visited Islamabad after the peace negotiations in Doha were paused for 23 days aimed at holding consultations with their leaders about both sides’ demands that they shared verbally with each other.