Imran Khan reassures Afghanistan support for inclusive peace process

Kabul: Visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said here that Islamabad supports an inclusive peace process in Afghanistan and will make all its efforts for peace in the war-torn country.

"The whole idea of coming at the time while violence is increasing in Afghanistan is to assure you Mr. President, that we the people of Pakistan and the government of Pakistan have only one concern and that is what you are feeling in Afghanistan, that we want peace (in Afghanistan)," Khan said during a joint press conference with Afghan President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani on Thursday.

Khan arrived in Kabul earlier on Thursday on a one-day visit at the invitation of Ghani.

This is the premier's maiden trip to the neighbouring country since he assumed office in 2018

Earlier in the day, Ghani and Khan discussed the Afghan peace process and bilateral ties during a meeting in Arg, the country's presidential palace.

Khan said that Pakistan was concerned about the recent resurgence of violence in Afghanistan despite ongoing peace negotiations between the Kabul government delegation and Taliban representatives in Doha, Qatar.

"We notice with concern that the level of violence (in Afghanistan) despite the talks in Qatar is rising, so my idea for choosing this time to come was to assure you that Pakistan will do everything whatever is possible, we will do to help reduce this violence," Khan said.

The Prime Minister noted that the aim of his trip was to build trust and strengthen relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

President Ghani called Khan's visit to Kabul as a "historic trip", saying it had a message that violence is not an answer to the current situation in Afghanistan.

"The appeal of the people of Afghanistan was a comprehensive ceasefire as soon as that would be feasible," he added.