ISLAMABAD- Former Taliban ambassador in Islamabad Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeefsaid Pakistan has ‘increased pressure’ on the Taliban to join thereconciliation process but the insurgents will not bow to this, Pakistan’sDaily Times reported.
“Pakistan has increased pressure on the Taliban but they will not acceptwhat Pakistan wants them to do. Pakistan has detained some senior Talibanleaders at a time when efforts are underway in the region to encourage theTaliban to come to the negotiating table,” Zaeef told the Daily Times bythe phone.
This comes just days after Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasimet with President Ashraf Ghani and CEO Abdullah Abdullah where they mappedout the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity (APAPPS),which is a joint plan for cooperation in key areas of counter-terrorism andfor thereduction of violence and promotion of peace and reconciliation inAfghanistan.
Abbasi welcomed Ghani’s recent peace offer to the Taliban and both leaderscalled on them to respond positively to the offer and to join the peaceprocess.
“Taliban do not want any deal through any country, including Pakistan andIran, but they want to solve the problems with the US without involvementof others,” Zaeef said.
The Daily Times reported Zaeef was arrested in Pakistan in 2002 and handedover to the United States months after American military toppled theTaliban government.
The US held Zaeef at Guantanamo Bay for a few years but released him in2005. He was put on the list of designated terrorists but his name wasremoved in2010.
Zaeef told the Daily Times the Taliban has not accepted the offer to jointhe political system as yet.
“So far, the Taliban consider the Kabul government an unconstitutionalgovernment. Secondly, the Taliban want to liberate Afghanistan fromclutches of occupation forces. They want to introduce Islamic government inAfghanistan,” he said.
“I believe the Kabul government is not willing to understand objectives ofthe Taliban. Some Taliban leaders believe there is a conspiracy theoryhidden behind recognition of the Taliban as a political power and,therefore, they do not accept this offer,” he said when asked aboutPresident Ghani’s offer to recognise them as a political party.