ISLAMABAD: The stalemate between Afghanistan Government and the AfghanTaliban seems to be broken as reports of dialogue have surfaced between thetwo in Turkey. In followup to the dialogues, a high profile visit of AfghanTaliban Qatar office representatives has been reported to Pakistan.
Pakistan has been trying hard to convince both parties to come to thenegotiations table in order to end the 17 year long conflict in Afghanistanwhich has eventually destabilised Pakistan too.
It is reported in media that Senior Taliban political representatives fromQatar office have arrived in Pakistan amid intense diplomatic activities inIslamabad and neighbouring Afghanistan, two Taliban officials said onMonday.
Shahabuddin Dilawar, a senior member of the Taliban’s Qatar-based office,is leading the three-member delegation, sources in Taliban told Daily Timeson the condition of anonymity.
The visit by Taliban political envoys coincides with talks betweenPakistani officials and US Acting Assistant Secretary of State Alice Wellsin Islamabad on Monday, in which ambassador Wells said Pakistan’s supportwas ‘critical’ to the success of the US strategy in Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said he was unaware of the visit whena query was posted on his WhatsApp. He promised to check and respond.
In response to a text message, Foreign Office spokesman Dr Faisal also saidhe will ‘check’.
Diplomatic sources told Daily Times that they were aware of the arrival ofthe Taliban delegation, but did not offer further details.
The visit of Taliban political representatives is being seen as part ofPakistan’s efforts to encourage the group to join the reconciliationprocess. The visit comes weeks after senior Taliban leader Mullah MuhammadAbbas traveled to Qatar and conveyed Pakistan’s message to the Talibanrepresentatives to join intra-Afghan dialogue, sources familiar with thedevelopment told Daily Times.
Sources said senior Pakistani officials had also sought help frominfluential Pakistani religious scholars to convince the Taliban to becomepart of the peace process.
Two religious scholars, who are part of the move, say they have beeninvolved in hectic activities to press the Taliban to join peace processsince Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited Kabul on October 1 lastyear and met President Ashraf Ghani.
On Monday, Ambassador Wells met Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan Dr OmarZakhilwal in Islamabad and discussed wide range of bilateral as well asregional issues, Zakhilwal posted on his Twitter account.
The Afghan ambassador also received EU Special Envoy for Afghanistan RolandKobia, accompanied by JF Cautain, EU Ambassador for Pakistan, for a“comprehensive discussion on a wide range of issues including Afghan-Pakrelations, peace process & refugees.”
Zakhilwal, who is also President Ashraf Ghani’s special representatives forPakistan, said the focus of his meetings was to explore ways to bridgetrust gap between Afghanistan and Pakistan. “In my meeting with ambassadorsof important international partners who have close relations with bothAfghanistan and Pakistan and visiting dignitaries, our discussion revolvedaround how with their support Afghanistan and Pakistan can sustain aregular and constructive interaction and dialogue that is aimed atresponding to our grievances and building more trust between our twobrotherly nations,” the Afghan ambassador told Daily Times.
Meanwhile, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid dismissed as baselessreports about Taliban participation at talks in Turkey. “We have neithersent any delegation nor can any participant represent the Islamic Emirate,”Mujahid said. “Such fake processes are the work of intelligence and hostileacts against the ongoing Jihad,” the Taliban spokesman said in hisstatement.
Abdul Manan Niazi, spokesman for the breakaway Taliban faction under MullahMuhammad Rasool, also denied his group has sent a representative to Turkeyfor the talks.
Sources say the talks were brokered by Hizb-e-Islami leader Hamayun Jarir,also adviser of President Ghani, member of the govt-sponsored High PeaceCouncil, Dr Abdul Baseer and Mullah Abdul Rauf and Mullah Abdul Haleem,leaders of Rasool’s group. But Niazi’s denial has discredited the talks inTurkey.
Spokesman for the Turkish embassy did not respond to a query when asked asto what promoted his country to host such talks when the Taliban factionshave already distanced themselves from what are now being seen as‘mysterious negotiations’.
Sources close to former Taliban leaders in Kabul insist the Afghangovernment had ‘violated an understanding’ with the former Talibanofficials who wanted to hold talks with the true representatives of theTaliban.
Former Taliban official Nazar Mutmayeen said that former Taliban leaders inKabul had been involved in negotiations with senior government officials inKabul regarding peace process this month. The government officials hadstated they wanted ‘direct interaction and exchange of messages’ withTaliban leaders who were empowered by the leadership.