News
Sunday, February 05, 2012
Gilani to visit Qatar to talk Afghan peace on 6thISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousaf Raza will travel to Qatar next week to talk with leaders there about the prospect of a peace deal to end the war in Afghanistan, a government official said on Saturday. Last week, Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited Afghanistan to talk about what is termed in Washington, Islamabad and Kabul as “Afghan reconciliation.” “Our prime minister will have discussions connected to this with the Qatar leadership,” foreign office spokesman Abdul Basit told a local television station. “He will also inform them of Pakistan’s perspective in this situation.” Last month, Afghan Taliban announced they would set up a political office in Qatar, which was seen as a major development in efforts to end an 11-year war that is taking an ever increasing toll on civilians. The Afghan Taliban — far from defeated and with US and Western nations committed to withdrawing troops from the country — will presumably demand de facto control over much of Afghanistan. ap
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk