Qatar's envoy for conflict resolution Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani on Friday held talks with Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs J P Singh on the evolving situation in Afghanistan Al-Qahtani, the Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of Qatar for Counter-terrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution, is scheduled to call on Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday, sources said. Al-Qahtani had played a key role in the Afghan peace process and his visit to India comes amid mounting global concerns over escalating violence by the Taliban in Afghanistan.
"Al-Qahtani met Joint Secretary (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran) J P Singh and exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan and recent developments in the Afghan peace process," said a source. Qatar's capital Doha has been the venue for the intra-Afghan peace talks and the Gulf country has emerged as a crucial player in facilitating the Afghan peace process.
Al-Qahtani's visit to India also comes days ahead of talks among Russia, China, the US and Pakistan on the situation in Afghanistan. The 'extended Troika' convened by Russia is scheduled to be held in Doha on August 11. In June, Al-Qahtani suggested that Indian officials were engaged in talks with the Taliban. "I understand that there has been a quiet visit by Indian officials…to speak with the Talibans. Why? Because not everybody is believing that the Taliban will dominate and take over, because Taliban is a key component of, or should be or is going to be a key component of the future of Afghanistan," Al-Qahtani said.
He made the remarks while replying to a question during a discussion on the theme "Looking towards peace in Afghanistan after the US-NATO withdrawal." As the Taliban continues its offensive in Afghanistan, a number of countries stepped up efforts to stop the violence in the war-torn country. The Taliban has been making rapid advances across Afghanistan by resorting to widespread violence since the United States began withdrawing its troops from the country on May 1. The US has already pulled back the majority of its forces and is looking to complete the drawdown by August 31.
India has been supporting a national peace and reconciliation process that is Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled. It has also been calling upon all sections of the political spectrum in Afghanistan to work together to meet the aspirations of all people in the country, including those from the minority communities, for a prosperous and safe future.
The Qatari envoy also called on Sanjay Bhattacharya, Secretary (Consular, Passport and Visa and Overseas Indian Affairs division) in the MEA and discussed bilateral issues.
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