ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban political office in Qatar has confirmed thattheir five political negotiators from Qatar office traveled to Pakistan todiscuss options for peace process.
A statement issued from the Taliban political office on Tuesday night saidthat the Taliban had always kept the option open for political process to“find out a durable and a real solution” to the Afghan problem.
The Pashto-language statement sent to the media said Pakistani governmentrecently conveyed its desire to the Taliban political office that it wantedto “cooperate” in the political solution to the Afghan problem and to shareits options with the Taliban political leaders.
“In view of Pakistan’s suggestion, the political office of the IslamicEmirate sent a five-member delegation to Pakistan for talks with thePakistani officials,” the Taliban statement said.
Maulvi Shahabud Din Dilawar, Syed Rasool Haleem, Muhammad Suhail Shaheen,Jan Muhammad Madnai and Qari Deen Muhammad were members of the delegation,the statement said.
“The delegation shared its suggestions with the Pakistani side about thepolitical solution to the Afghan conflict and also listened to the views ofthe Pakistani side. Later, the delegation informed leaders of the IslamicEmirate in Afghanistan, about the details of its meetings with Pakistan,China, Qatar, and other countries,” the statement further said.
The Taliban political representatives will consider other options afterthey receive directives from senior leaders in Afghanistan.
The statement said Taliban were interested in a real solution to the Afghanproblem so all reasons of the war are ended and Afghans live in peace andsecurity. “We believe that only slogans and hollow promises cannot resolvethe issue. It is the responsibility of all sides to pay attention to adurable and basic solution to the conflict,” the Taliban political officesaid.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid and Pakistan Foreign Office spokesmanDr Muhammad Faisal had earlier refused to offer any comments when DailyTimes reported the visit on January 15. The Taliban had landed in Pakistanamid growing US pressure on Pakistan and allegations by President DonaldTrump and several other leaders that Pakistan “shelters the Taliban theHaqqani Network”.
However, the visit of the Taliban political envoys could be seen asPakistan’s renewed efforts to push for political solution to the Afghanconflict at a time when the United States is focusing on military option.Besides Pakistan, regional stakeholders – China, Russia, Iran and CentralAsian states — are pressing for political solution as the military solutionin 16 years has not only failed bur Afghanistan is now facing worstsecurity situation.
On Saturday, a group of Taliban bombers stormed the highly-securedIntercontinental Hotel in Kabul, killing about two dozen people, mostlyforeigners. The US officials have now confirmed several Americans were alsoamong the dead.
Afghan security officials have been under fire since the deadliest Kabulattack, which once again exposed the fragile security in capital Kabul.
Afghan Interior Minister Wais Ahmad Barmak had admitted that the attackershad inside support in the hotel. Sources privy to the visit of the Talibanpolitical representatives insist the visit was part of the peace effortsstarted with the visit to Kabul by Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Bajwaon October 1. General Bajwa had assured support for peace process in thewar-shattered country, according to the officials in the meeting.
Pakistani officials had later sought the help of religious scholars toencourage the Taliban to give-up war and join the peace process. The samemessage was also conveyed to the Taliban political office in Qatar byMullah Muhammad Abbas, a former Taliban minister.