Dr Abdullah arrives on Monday

Dr Abdullah Abdullah, the head of Afghan High Council for National Reconciliation, would arrive in Pakistan on September 28, on a two-day visit as part of efforts to seek a peaceful end to the 19-year long war in his country, official sources said on Wednesday.

Abdullah has been invited by Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss peace efforts as well as bilateral ties. This will be the first high-level visit from Afghanistan in many months, suggesting a renewed push by the two neighbours to improve their ties.

The sources, while confirming Abdullah’s visit, told The Express Tribune that during the visit, he would meet top political and military leaders and discuss with them the ongoing Afghan peace process. All issues of Pakistan-Afghanistan bilateral relations will also be discussed. In addition he would also address a think tank.

His visit comes at a time when efforts are being made to evolve consensus among Afghan groups, including Taliban, for the future political dispensation. After much delay, the inaugural ceremony of intra-Afghan dialogue was held recently in Doha. However, the formal talks between the Afghan government and Taliban have yet to start.

The latest phase of the Afghan peace process is crucial since it would focus on determining the future political dispensation in Afghanistan. Taliban have sought to adopt Islamic system while other political groups want democratic set up where rights of women and others are guaranteed.

Taliban, however, have shown willingness to accommodate the concerns of other groups as some of their leaders claim that the insurgent group learnt lessons from their past mistakes. The process, nevertheless, will not be easy as some observers believe that Taliban have the upper hand given their military strength and the areas they control at the moment.