PM Imran welcomes Doha peace agreement between Taliban and US

Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday welcomed the peace deal signing between the Taliban and the United States.

The prime minister said in a tweet later in the evening on Saturday that the agreement would lead to peace after decades of war in Afghanistan.

Now all stakeholders have to ensure that spoilers are kept at bay. My prayers for peace for the Afghan people who have suffered 4 decades of bloodshed. Pakistan is committed to playing its role in ensuring the agreement holds & succeeds in bringing peace to Afghanistan.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) February 29, 2020

Earlier on Saturday, the United States signed a landmark deal with the Taliban, laying out a timetable for a complete troop withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months, as it seeks an exit from its longest-ever war. The agreement is expected to lead to a dialogue between the Taliban and the Kabul government that, if successful, could ultimately see an end to the grinding 18-year conflict.

Taliban fighter-turned-dealmaker Mullah Baradar signed the accord alongside Washington's chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad, at a gilded desk in a conference room in a luxury Doha hotel. The pair then shook hands, as people in the room shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest).