Afghan Taliban delegation in Pakistan to discuss peace process

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 24 : A delegation from the Afghan Taliban has arrived in Pakistan to discuss the ongoing peace process with the Pakistani leadership, local media reported on Monday.
Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhry said that the "delegation has been invited to Pakistan to discuss the way forward in the Afghan peace process", The News International reported.
"A high-level Islamic Emirate (Taliban) delegation led by deputy political chief, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, has left for Pakistan upon the invitation of the country's Foreign Ministry to discuss the latest on the peace process, state of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, (cross-border) travel of people, and trade between the two neighbours," Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen said in a series of tweets on Sunday night.
The development comes after the Afghan government released 80 Taliban prisoners as part of its efforts to pave the way for intra-Afghan talks.
It also comes after Pakistan last week imposed sanctions on more than 88 terrorists associated with different terror groups, including the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and Taliban in a bid to avoid a demotion from the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) grey list to the blacklist during the upcoming October plenary meeting.