Pakistani PM assures Afghan negotiators help in peace

Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assured the visiting Afghan High Peace Council President that his government will fully back the peace efforts in Afghanistan, reported local media here Thursday. Sharif had made such commitment when meeting Syed Salahuddin Rabbani, president of Afghan High Peace Council. Both leaders had discussed Pakistan's influence on encouraging Taliban to join Afghanistan's domestic peace process, security situation in the region, and the cooperation on peace keeping in Afghanistan after NATO's withdrawal in 2014. In addition, the Pakistani PM office cited Sharif Thursday when meeting Rabbani that "Pakistan is extending every possible help in maintaining the peace in Afghanistan. A stable Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan." During the visit, Rabbani will also talk to Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a senior Afghan Taliban leader who was freed by Islamabad in September at the request of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. However, an Afghan Taliban leader had earlier stated that none of Taliban detainees can represent the group, stressing any move to "force Mullah Baradar to talk to anyone will not produce any results."