KABUL, 17 December, 2020, (TON):  President Ashraf Ghani spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday evening and they discussed the peace process and their concerns over the escalation of violence in Afghanistan, Presidential Palace spokesman Sediq Sediqqi said.

PM Imran Khan told President Ghani that Pakistan will help Afghanistan bring down the level of violence, leading to ceasefire, said Sediqqi.

Islamabad in a statement said that Khan had a phone call with Ghani to discuss the progress in the ongoing Afghan peace process and the strengthening of Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. 

Khan reiterated Pakistan’s steadfast support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process for a political solution to the conflict in Afghanistan, it said.

Khan also underlined that “Pakistan’s outreach to all Afghan stakeholders was part of its facilitative efforts to ensure progress towards an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. The latest visit of Taliban Political Commission (TPC) to Pakistan is also in this context,” said the statement.

“The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s call on all the Afghan sides for taking measures for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire,” it said.

The statement also mentioned that the leaders agreed to continue their engagement for supporting the peace process and enhancing bilateral cooperation.

This comes as a Taliban delegation headed by deputy leader Mullah Baradar has met with Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday to discuss the Afghan peace process.

Reaffirming “Pakistan’s support for a peaceful, stable, united, sovereign and prosperous Afghanistan, the foreign minister reiterated Pakistan’s belief that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan." He underlined that Pakistan will continue to facilitate the Afghan peace process.

Pakistan's role in the ongoing peace process that has so far created an understanding among the stakeholders that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in the interest of the region. Islamabad has played in easing the start of reconciliation talks between warring Afghan parties.