Acting Foreign Minister in the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan, Amir Khan Muttaqi on Friday hoped that the temporary ceasefire achieved by Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) will lead the way to lasting peace, reported local media.
Earlier on Monday, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry announced reaching a deal with the TTP on "complete ceasefire" during peace talks, reported Geo TV.
Muttaqi confirmed his role in mediating the peace talks between both sides while addressing a seminar in Islamabad on the invitation by Pakistan to attend the ninth session of Troika Plus meeting held in the federal capital.
The acting foreign minister claimed that the Afghan soil is not being used against Pakistan.
"Currently, there are no anti-Pakistan elements present in Afghanistan," Geo TV quoted Muttaqi as saying.
The Taliban leader added that they "cannot figure out what to do in order to get recognition" from the US and the international community, as per the news channel.
Muttaqi further said that Afghanistan "does not need" a big army.
"We will build a small but skilled army," the news channel quoted him as saying.
Ironically, the Taliban have asked the former Afghan Air Force pilots to return to the country and said that general amnesty has already been announced.
"There will not be any security threat for these pilots in Afghanistan. General amnesty has already been announced. They can come back and serve here," TOLOnews quoted the Taliban spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid as saying.
After the Taliban took over Afghanistan on August 15, reports emerged stating that the Afghan security force members had managed to flee to the neighbouring countries. However, tens of thousands of Afghan soldiers were still on the run and were being hunted down by the Taliban.
( With inputs from ANI )
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