Pakistan invites acting Afghan FM to Troika Plus meeting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has sent a special invitation to Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi to attend the Troika Plus meeting, scheduled in Islamabad for Nov 11.

“Special Representatives for Afghanistan from the United States, China, Russia and Pakistan will be meeting on Thursday and we hope that Mr Muttaqi will also be able to attend,” an official told The News.

Muttaqi is expected to extend his visit by a day at the conclusion of the Troika Plus meeting and hold bilateral consultations with officials here. So far, there has been no confirmation from Kabul about a likely visit to Islamabad by Muttaqi.

Consultations between Islamabad and Kabul are continuing in this regard and officials say it would be clear by Tuesday if Muttaqi, a senior member of the Taliban government, would be able to undertake his maiden visit to Pakistan.

While Pakistan has still not recognised the caretaker setup in Afghanistan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, after his visit to Kabul, had told the media that he had invited Mutaqqi, who had accepted his invitation.

The Trioka Plus on Afghanistan will be attended by Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Thomas West, the State Department’s Special Representative and Deputy Assistant Secretary for Afghanistan, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov and Chinese special envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong.