Just a day before the resumption of the intra-Afghan dialogue in Doha, Qatar, the US Special Representative For Afghanistan Reconciliation, Zalmay Khalilzad, on Monday met with Pakistan’s military leadership in Islamabad, both sides discussed the ongoing intra- Afghan talks reaffirmed their commitment to achieving “peace and stability” in the region.

The Taliban and the Afghan government are to resume the second phase of the Intra-Afghan talks on Tuesday. The warring sides are expected to find a common political ground to end the four-decade-conflict in Afghanistan.

“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest including overall regional security situation with particular reference to (the) ongoing Afghan reconciliation process were discussed,” Pakistan’s ISPR was quoted as saying by Dawn after the meeting between Khalilzad and Gen Bajwa.

A statement released by the US Department of State said the US-Afghan peace envoy would visit Pakistan, Qatar, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan to garner the region’s support for the Afghan peace process.

Khalilzad also said he expected the Afghan parties to make “tangible progress in the next round of #Afghanistan Peace Negotiations.” Calling the current level of “violence, including the targeted killings” unacceptable, he said, those behind the violence are undermining the peace process in the country.

“Both sides must demonstrate that they are acting in the best interest of the Afghan people by making a real compromise and negotiating a political agreement on a political settlement as soon as possible and an immediate significant reduction in violence/ceasefire,” Khalilzad tweeted on Monday evening.

Unclaimed attacks, targeted assassinations of journalists, members of civil societies, prosecutors, and other government employees soured the initial hopes and optimism of the Afghan people. The situation in the capital, Kabul, is even more precarious as it sees IED bombings almost on a daily basis.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Monday said, there will be “no compromise on security, and the defense forces.” The Afghan forces have made a great sacrifice for the nation in the last six years, he added.

In the first phase of talks, which lasted three months, the Taliban and the Afghan government agreed on “procedural and rules” for talks. The second round, which is to begin today, is most crucial. Ever since the intra-Afghan talks started in September last year, the violence level hasn’t come down in the country.