Qatar invites Pakistan to attend US-Taliban peace deal signing

ISLAMABAD: Qatar has invited Pakistan to attend the signing of US-Taliban peace deal to be held in Doha on February 29, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Tuesday.

Last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had announced that the agreement between the country and Taliban will take place on February 29.

Qureshi said the Qatari envoy had invited him to the signing ceremony on behalf of the Qatari deputy prime minister and foreign minister.

Ambassador of Qatar Saqr bin Mubarak Al-Mansouri called on Qureshi and handed over a special invitation from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Sheikh Mohammad Bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani for the signing ceremony.

“The ambassador remarked that Qatar looked forward to receive Foreign Minister Qureshi at the signing ceremony,” said the Foreign Office.

The foreign minister, voicing his views on the much-awaited development, said that Pakistan welcomes the announcement of a truce deal between the US and Taliban.

“Pakistan has always maintained that the Afghan peace process does not require a military solution,” said the foreign minister.

He added that Pakistan has played a crucial role in the Afghan peace process and today the entire world is acknowledging its stance.

The foreign minister expressed hope that the peace deal will pave way for an intra-Afghan dialogue.