Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Friday called for a reduction in violence in Afghanistan during a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Mohammad Haneef Atmar in Niger, TOLOnews reported.  The meeting between the two foreign ministers comes on the sideline of the OIC council meeting of foreign ministers in Niamey, Niger. 

According to a statement issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two sides discussed the Afghan peace process, the Geneva Conference, and Prime Minister Imran Khan’s recent visit to Afghanistan. 

Qureshi extended his country’s support for the Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process and warned to remain vigilant about “spoilers” who didn’t want to see peace returning in the region.

Peace would enable the economic and commercial potential of the region which remained underutilized, he added. 

Violence in Afghanistan hasn’t reduced despite the Afghan government and the Taliban remain engaged in intra-Afghan talks since 12 September. Pakistan, which earlier helped the US by bringing the Taliban to the negotiation table leading to the Doha Agreement, holds significant influence over the Afghan insurgent group. 

Earlier Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had sought the good offices of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan in reducing violence in Afghanistan.