<p>Pakistan on Tuesday called on the Afghan government to create a "favourable environment" for intra-Afghan dialogue, warning that the peace and reconciliation process with Taliban would not move forward if any side showed "stubbornness".</p>.<p>Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a statement called on President Ashraf Ghani to abide by a prisoner swap clause in the US-Taliban peace deal, the rejection of which saw the Taliban resume attacks on Afghan forces in the northeast of the country.</p>.<p>“It is the responsibility of the Afghan leadership to create a favourable environment to take the talks forward," Qureshi said.</p>.<p>The intra-Afghan negotiations are due to begin March 10 according to a US-Taliban deal signed in Doha on Saturday, but a dispute over a prisoner swap has raised questions about whether they will go ahead.</p>.<p>The agreement includes a commitment for the Taliban to release up to 1,000 prisoners and for the Afghan government to free around 5,000 insurgent captives -- something the militants have cited as a prerequisite for talks but which President Ghani has refused to do before negotiations start.</p>.<p>The foreign minister said that Pakistan cannot take decision on the part of Afghans. “Pakistan can create a favourable environment, it cannot take (Afghanistan's) decisions, he said.</p>.<p>Qureshi reminded the parties to Afghan conflict that the agreement signed by the US and Taliban representative on Saturday in Doha contained provisions for exchange of prisoners.</p>.<p>“Exchange of prisoners has happened in the past. When we move from war towards peace, it needs to be done to show a positive intention," the foreign minister said.</p>.<p>He warned that the process of peace and reconciliation would not move forward if any side showed "stubbornness". He urged the parties to take “confidence-building” steps in order to move forward.</p>.<p>Qureshi said that intra-Afghan process was a test of Afghan leadership and it would show if the Afghans were ready to leave the past behind and work for peace.</p>.<p>He said that Doha agreement was just the first step, though an important on, for a lasting peace in Afghanistan.</p>.<p>He said that Pakistan would continue to provide support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.</p>.<p>Qureshi said that the Taliban pledged that would not allow “al Qaeda or any terrorist organization to operate in Afghanistan.”</p>.<p>The foreign minister warned that the “spoilers” were not would be uncomfortable with the deal but there were many people who are comfortable with it.</p>.<p>“There are many who feel that it is in Afghanistan’s long-term interest. It is in region’s long term interest and it is essential for global peace and stability,” he said.</p>.<p>Earlier, the peace process got was shock when Ghani said that prisoners would be released.</p>
<p>Pakistan on Tuesday called on the Afghan government to create a "favourable environment" for intra-Afghan dialogue, warning that the peace and reconciliation process with Taliban would not move forward if any side showed "stubbornness".</p>.<p>Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in a statement called on President Ashraf Ghani to abide by a prisoner swap clause in the US-Taliban peace deal, the rejection of which saw the Taliban resume attacks on Afghan forces in the northeast of the country.</p>.<p>“It is the responsibility of the Afghan leadership to create a favourable environment to take the talks forward," Qureshi said.</p>.<p>The intra-Afghan negotiations are due to begin March 10 according to a US-Taliban deal signed in Doha on Saturday, but a dispute over a prisoner swap has raised questions about whether they will go ahead.</p>.<p>The agreement includes a commitment for the Taliban to release up to 1,000 prisoners and for the Afghan government to free around 5,000 insurgent captives -- something the militants have cited as a prerequisite for talks but which President Ghani has refused to do before negotiations start.</p>.<p>The foreign minister said that Pakistan cannot take decision on the part of Afghans. “Pakistan can create a favourable environment, it cannot take (Afghanistan's) decisions, he said.</p>.<p>Qureshi reminded the parties to Afghan conflict that the agreement signed by the US and Taliban representative on Saturday in Doha contained provisions for exchange of prisoners.</p>.<p>“Exchange of prisoners has happened in the past. When we move from war towards peace, it needs to be done to show a positive intention," the foreign minister said.</p>.<p>He warned that the process of peace and reconciliation would not move forward if any side showed "stubbornness". He urged the parties to take “confidence-building” steps in order to move forward.</p>.<p>Qureshi said that intra-Afghan process was a test of Afghan leadership and it would show if the Afghans were ready to leave the past behind and work for peace.</p>.<p>He said that Doha agreement was just the first step, though an important on, for a lasting peace in Afghanistan.</p>.<p>He said that Pakistan would continue to provide support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.</p>.<p>Qureshi said that the Taliban pledged that would not allow “al Qaeda or any terrorist organization to operate in Afghanistan.”</p>.<p>The foreign minister warned that the “spoilers” were not would be uncomfortable with the deal but there were many people who are comfortable with it.</p>.<p>“There are many who feel that it is in Afghanistan’s long-term interest. It is in region’s long term interest and it is essential for global peace and stability,” he said.</p>.<p>Earlier, the peace process got was shock when Ghani said that prisoners would be released.</p>