Foreign Secretary Shringla meets Qatar's special envoy, discusses Doha peace process on Afghanistan

New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on Saturday met with Qatar's Special Envoy Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani in New Delhi and discussed Doha peace process on Afghanistan. "Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla met H.E. Mr Mutlaq bin Majed Al-Qahtani, Special Envoy of the Foreign Minister of Qatar for Counter-terrorism and Mediation in Conflict Resolution," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

"Discussed Doha peace process on Afghanistan & concerns over the deteriorating security situation there," Bagchi added. Earlier in the day, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also met Qatar's Special Envoy and shared concerns over Afghanistan's security situation.

Majed is on a two-day visit to India to discuss the peace process in Afghanistan. On Friday, the envoy met with multiple key officials in the external affairs ministry. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote: "Rapid deterioration of the security situation is a serious matter. A peaceful and stable Afghanistan requires that the rights and interests of all sections of society are promoted and protected."

Recently during the UNSC meeting on Afghanistan's worsening situation, India's Permanent Representative to the UN TS Tirumurti said, "There should be zero tolerance for terrorism in all its forms and manifestations for enduring peace in Afghanistan and terrorist safe havens in the region must be dismantled."

Over the past few weeks, the Taliban have captured several key districts in Afghanistan including the country's northeastern province Takhar. Last week, the Taliban had killed a popular Afghan comedian in the country's Kandahar province.

After capturing new areas in Afghanistan, the Taliban has re-imposed repressive laws and retrograde policies on Afghan women that defined its 1996-2001 rule when they enforced their version of Islamic Sharia law.