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Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has assured Afghan President Hamid Karzai that his negotiators will be allowed to access to senior Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday.
Sharif visited Kabul on Saturday and assured President Karzai his country's full support to the Afghan-led peace process.
Chairman of Afghan government-backed High Peace Council Salahuddin Rabbani met Mullah Baradar in Pakistan last week and Nawaz Sharif assured more such meetings in the future.
Pakistan announced in September the release of Mullah Baradar, a request from President Karzai when he visited Islamabad in August.
Pakistan has freed nearly fifty Afghan Taliban prisoners since November last year to facilitate the peace process. Mullah Baradar was one of the most senior leaders among the freed Taliban, whom the Afghan government considers as helpful for the elusive peace.
Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry said on Sunday that access to Mullah Barader has been assured by the prime minister during the meeting with Afghan President Karzai.
"Pakistan has assured its full support to Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process," the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.
The spokesman said during his Kabul visit, prime minister Sharif and Afghan President Hamid Karzai had extensive talks on bilateral relations, Afghan peace and reconciliation process, and situation in the region with particular reference to NATO/ISAF troops drawdown in 2014.
He said both the countries have agreed to intensify efforts to enhance bilateral trade to five billion dollars by 2015.
The Foreign Ministry described Sharif's visit as successful. He also reiterated his conviction that peace and stability in Afghanistan are in Pakistan's vital interest.
HPC Chairman, along with a delegation, also called on the prime minister in Kabul.
The delegation was assured that Pakistan would continue to extend all possible support to facilitate peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
Nawaz Sharif announced to enhance Pakistan's commitment of assistance for reconstruction and socio-economic development in Afghanistan from 385 million U.S. dollars to 500 million dollars.
