Pakistan praises plan for US troop withdrawal in Afghanistan

Pakistan’s foreign minister Qureshi said Pakistan welcomes the peace discussions that took place earlier this week in Abu Dhabi and will continue to support the Afghan peace process.

Pakistan’s foreign minister has welcomed President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw half the US’s troops from Afghanistan.

US troops keep watch during an official visit in Farah province, Afghanistan on May 19. (REUTERS)

Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Saturday told reporters in the central city of Multan that the decision is good for ongoing peace talks between the Afghan Taliban and the US

Qureshi says Pakistan welcomes the peace discussions that took place earlier this week in Abu Dhabi and will continue to support the Afghan peace process. The minister said Pakistan has released some Taliban to help facilitate the talks.

The latest talks between the Taliban and U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad focused on the withdrawal of NATO troops, the release of prisoners and halting attacks on civilians by pro-government forces.

Khalilzad has tweeted that talks held in United Arab Emirates were “productive.”