Pakistan joins US-led call for Afghan ceasefire, talks

Pakistan, which supported Afghanistan’s former Taliban regime, yesterday joined the United States, Russia and China in a call on the insurgents to agree to a ceasefire and negotiations with Kabul. Pakistan joined the three powers in talks in Beijing that come as the United States moves closer to an agreement with the Taliban to pull troops from Afghanistan and end its longest-ever war.

The four countries “encouraged all parties to take steps to reduce violence leading to a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire that starts with intra-Afghan negotiations,” said a joint statement issued by the United States.

They called for direct negotiations involving the Taliban, President Ashraf Ghani’s government and other Afghans to “produce a peace framework as soon as possible.” Taliban have refused to negotiate with the internationally recognized government.