ISLAMABAD – *Pakistan and Afghanistan’s religious scholars (Ulema) havereportedly agreed to hold conferences in both countries to explore ways forpeace and to encourage the Taliban to join the reconciliation process*.

According to the Media report, Syed Ehsan Tahiri, a spokesman forAfghanistan’s High Peace Council (HPC), said Pakistani and Afghan clericshad agreed to hold joint meetings to discuss peace in Afghanistan inaccordance with Islamic teachings.

Tahiri told Mashal Radio in Kabul that Pakistan had agreed to organise themeetings in Islamabad and also join similar meetings in Kabul that would beattended by hundreds of scholars from both sides.

The comments came after Afghan, Indonesian, Pakistani and Indonesian Ulemamet in Indonesia on May 11 and “appreciated and supported” President AshrafGhani’s peace offer to the Taliban in February.

The Indonesian conference in its declaration also described suicide attacksas against the principles of Islam.

After the Indonesia meeting, Mawlawi Anwarulhaq Haqqani, head of DarulUloom Haqqani madrassa in Pakistan, who participated in the meeting, saidPakistani religious scholars represented the Taliban at the conference.

Haqqani, brother of Mawlana Samiul Haq, leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islamparty in Pakistan, also known as the father of the Taliban, said In a videomessage after the meeting that he did not let the Ulema in Indonesiamention the Taliban in their declaration.

Ghani meanwhile said that the Indonesia conference in Jakarta was a goodchance for the Taliban.

Ghani also welcomed the Ulema’s stance, clarity and decision and called onother Ulema members of the Islamic world to play a pivotal role inmaintaining peace and eliminating terrorism.

The president has endorsed such meetings of Ulema to end the imposed battleof Afghanistan and for regional stability.