The United States and the Afghan Taliban are expected to sign on a historic peace agreement today in Doha that could possibly see America end its longest war ever.
Today’s Afghan Taliban peace agreement will be followed by resolution of more serious challenges; how to move forward in Afghanistan after the US withdraws from the country.
A few days ago Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had stated that the intra-Afghan negotiations would begin after the agreement that would ultimately result in US troops pulling out of the country and a permanent ceasefire.
Role of Pakistan in Afghan Peace Process
The agreement is an important step towards peace not only in Afghanistan but also in neighbouring Pakistan.
Islamabad has been using its good offices to ensure the Taliban and Washington chalk out a future political roadmap for Afghanistan. The negotiations hit a wall in September 2019 when a US soldier was killed by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
The death of the US soldier resulted in Trump abruptly called off the peace talks that were to be held with the Taliban at Camp David. The US insisted that the Taliban reduce violence completely before any talk of peace agreement with the US could be entertained.
Pakistan was instrumental in getting the Taliban and the US to talk again in November 2019 and finally, in February 2020, Pompeo announced a peace agreement would be signed on February 29, 2020.
Islamabad on Friday confirmed that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi will attend signing of US-Taliban peace deal in Doha.
