Karzai urges Pakistan to rejoin Taliban peace talks

In a positive signal for Afghan-Pakistan relations, Karzai announced Monday he would be extending his visit to Islamabad to allow for more negotiations on a possible peace plan, according to reports by Agence France Presse. 

“It is with hope on this that I have come to Pakistan … to advance the course of action together,” Karzai said in a joint press conference with Sharif, “but also by having a common campaign against extremism, [to] make sure that the two countries are safer and prosperous towards a secure future.”

{mosads}”We hope with this on top of our agenda we can move forward in bringing stability and peace to both countries,” he told reporters in Islamabad. 

In April, Pakistan walked away from Afghan-led peace talks with the Taliban over regional security issues with the Karzai government. 

Islamabad’s demand that Kabul cut all ties with India, Pakistan’s long-time foe, as well as immediately sign a military cooperation pact with Pakistan was too much to ask, Afghan officials said at the time. 

But in recent weeks, Taliban representatives and Karzai’s government have held a series of secret meetings geared to kick-start the stalled peace process. 

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters in June that the White House’s plan to reach a peace deal with the Taliban was “worth the risk.” 

“We’ve always supported a peaceful resolution to the end of the bloodshed in the war in Afghanistan,” Hagel said in a speech at the University of Nebraska. “I think it’s worth the risk.”