Mohammad Akram Khpalwak, the Chief of Afghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC) Secretariat said Wednesday that situation is ready for the Taliban militant group to join an Afghan-led peace process.

“We hope Taliban give a positive response to people’s call for peace; announce a ceasefire, show their readiness for direct talks with the Afghan government and introduce their negotiators,” Khpalwak said. “Afghan peace process is led by the people of Afghanistan and the process is getting more support during the upcoming weeks. The mutual truce was a successful experience and it was managed very well.”
This comes as the Taliban group has always denied holding any talks with the Afghan government, insisting on direct negotiations with the United States.
But the Council says the peace process would remain an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process and they will not allow any third-party to take the lead.
Meanwhile, HPC says the Council is fully prepared to participate at the OIC peace conference on Afghanistan that will be held in Saudi Arabia.