BEIJING, Sep. 21 (INP): A Chinese scholar and former Defense Attache in South Asian countries Prof. Cheng Xizhong lauded Pakistan's leading role in pushing forward Afghan peace process. 

In an article published by Gwadar Pro on Monday, he said Pakistan has come out as a strong supporter and mediator of the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan and played a key role in realizing the US-Taliban negotiations and signing the peace agreement aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan on February 29 this year. 

Similarly, Pakistan, together with all parties concerned in the international community, has done a lot of work to facilitate the opening of peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. 

Prof. Cheng pointed out that Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan reiterated on September 13 that Pakistan will continue to fully support the Afghan people's unremitting efforts for peace and development.  

The "Afghan owned and Afghan led" peace talks are essential to the realization of peace in Afghanistan and the region. He hopes that the Afghan leaders will seize the historic opportunity and work together to reach an inclusive, extensive and comprehensive political solution. 

Although the intra-Afghan talks have been launched, peace and reconciliation process in the country still faces many difficulties. 

First, the United States will not withdraw all its troops from Afghanistan. US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said recently that the United States will reduce its troops in Afghanistan to 4,500 within one to two months.  

As long as the US troops continue to stay in Afghanistan, the Afghan Taliban will not completely stop the resistance movement. To truly achieve peace in Afghanistan, the US troops must leave Afghanistan completely. 

Second, the United States will not give up its control of the Afghan regime. The Taliban believes that the current Afghan government is a puppet regime of the United States. 

In fact, without the support of the United States, the current regime in Afghanistan will collapse immediately. Under such circumstances, the intra-Afghan talkswill likely go ahead along with fighting, and the security situation in Afghanistan will not be fundamentally improved.  

To truly achieve peace in Afghanistan, the United States must thoroughly give up its control over the Afghan government. 

Third, as the United States reduces its military presence in Afghanistan, some regional force is trying to deeply intervene in Afghan affairs, which will add complex factors to the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan

Cheng Xizhong added, that as a neighbor of Afghanistan, Pakistan is not only the biggest victim of the US military occupation of Afghanistan and the terrorism caused by the US military operations, but also has been in a very difficult situation in the subsequent peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan.  

In order to seek regional peace, Pakistan has overcome various difficulties, worked with the relevant parties of the international community and successfully facilitated the Afghan Taliban to accept the offer of peace talks.  

INP/Javed