ISLAMABAD, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan on Thursday cautioned against "the role of spoilers" to harm the Afghan peace process.
The above comments came from Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad Faisal as the Taliban and the U.S. officials have resumed talks in Qatar to end the conflict in Afghanistan.
Both sides resumed political negotiations on Saturday, nearly three months after U.S. President Donald Trump called off talks with the Taliban in September, citing a Taliban-claimed suicide bombing.
"We will continue to support all peaceful efforts in this regard, as we have done in the past. However, at this critical time, it is important to remain watchful of the role of spoilers who do not wish to see an end to the Afghan conflict," Faisal said at his weekly briefing.
He said Pakistan has welcomed the resumption of direct talks between the U.S. and Taliban.
"We have always held that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan. We hope that the peace process is concluded soon and it leads to an intra-Afghan dialogue and reduction of violence," Faisal said.
He said Pakistan's policy regarding Afghanistan is clear and Prime Minister Imran Khan has reiterated it several times, that there can only be a political solution to the Afghan conflict.
"It is heartening to note that all the global powers are now coming to this conclusion as well," the Pakistani spokesman said.
He said Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday underscored the need for achieving the goal of a secure and stable Afghanistan for the economic progress and prosperity of the entire region.
Qureshi highlighted the importance of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity as an important institutional framework in strengthening bilateral relations between the two sides, according to the spokesman.
Faisal condemned the murder of Japanese doctor Tetsu Nakamura in Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province last week and said Nakamura was a towering figure in Afghanistan, who changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of Afghans.
"We condemn in strongest terms the assassination and share the grief and pain of the Afghan and Japanese people in this tragic incident," he said.
"As I mentioned earlier, at this critical juncture, it can only be the work of 'spoilers' who do not wish to see a stable and peaceful Afghanistan," Faisal added.
