ISLAMABAD: Top intelligence chiefs in Pakistan and Afghanistan to “increasecooperation to end the 17 years long war in Afghanistan.
Pakistan’s ISI and Afghanistan NDS to encourage Taliban insurgents to joinreconciliation efforts, sources privy to the development said on Wednesday.
During the meeting in which the decision was taken, the delegations headedby the Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Afghan National SecurityAdviser Haneef Atmar also exchanged views on ways to encourage the Talibanto come to the negotiation table as the Afghan side showed serious concernat increased casualties in Taliban attacks, Daily Times has reported.
“Suggest us what incentives we should offer to the Taliban to persuade themto join the peace process,” Atmar asked Pakistani leaders in the high-levelsession at General Headquarters (GHQ) on May 27.
He also referred to President Ashraf Ghani’s unconditional dialogue offerto the Taliban insurgents in February that included the Taliban’srecognition as a political party, allowing them to open office, to removenames of their leaders from the UN sanctions lists, release of theirprisoners, and to introduce amendments in the constitution.
The Afghan side, however, made it clear to the insurgent group that therewould be no compromise on religious affairs, democratic system ofgovernance, and the issue of human rights.
Taliban have not yet responded to President Ghani’s plan unveiled at thesecond meeting of the Kabul Process, which was attended by nearly 30countries as well as international organisations. Pakistan has backed thepeace plan but has maintained that reconciliation ought to be an ‘Afghanaffair’ and that every country, which has contacts with or influence overthe Taliban, should play their role as it is a ‘shared responsibility’.
The May 27 meeting also discussed the Taliban’s longstanding demand fordirect talks with the United States. The Afghan NSA argued that “Talibanfighting has paved the way for the presence of foreign troops. There willbe no need for the foreign forces if Taliban join peace process.”
The US has declined directs negotiations with the Taliban and urged them tosit face-to-face with Afghan leaders, whom Taliban consider as powerless.
Atmar also insisted that the Afghan Taliban have ‘provided space to thePakistani Taliban, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and other Pakistani militants in theungoverned Afghan regions’.
“Afghan Taliban indirectly pose threat to Pakistani security,” he said,during the meeting which was extended beyond scheduled, according to thesource who was a participant.
Pakistani and the Afghan sides agreed on further discussions on the issue.Both sides agreed that the Pakistani and Afghan intelligence chiefs willhold further discussion on the peace process and will increasecoordination, telephone contacts and will exchange visits. Reconciliationwith the Taliban will be on the agenda of the joint working group ofintelligence officials, which will be established under the AfghanistanPakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS).
“Both sides have agreed to finalise the groups before the Eid-ul-Fitr andthe meetings will start after Eid,” the source said. Five working groupshave been operationalised for meaningful engagement, namelyPolitico-Diplomatic Working Group, Economic Working Group, Refugee WorkingGroup, Military to Military Coordination and Intelligence Cooperation.