On Monday, an Afghan Taliban delegation arrived in Pakistan bidding to restart negotiations with Kabul. On the same day, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani lashed out at Islamabad for its tacit support to the Taliban and claimed that Kabul “will no longer seek Pakistan’s help in peace talks.”
The Taliban delegation’s arrival and Ghani’s outburst came a week after a bomb blast in Kabul killed at least 64 people and injured hundreds. According to insiders, Afghan officials allege the Haqqani Network planned the attack in Pakistan and got help from foreign intelligence circles.
Earlier this month, the Taliban had announced the start of their annual spring offensive, vowing ‘large-scale attacks’ across Afghanistan. Last month, the Afghan Taliban had reportedly ‘ruled out’ its participation in the quadrilateral process featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China, claiming that the talks were ‘futile’ while there are foreign forces in Afghanistan.
“We don’t expect Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table,” Ghani said. “What we want is for Pakistan, based on the four nations’ agreement, to keep its promises and launch military operations against insurgents. There are no good or bad terrorists, they are just terrorists. Pakistan must understand that and act against them.”
“We are aware that Taliban delegations are in Pakistan,” says Dawa Khan Mina Pal, a spokesman for the Afghan president, “but we will not go there until Pakistan fulfils the promises that they made.”
A senior Afghan Taliban leader told Reuters on Tuesday that a delegation of leaders was in Karachi, holding talks with Pakistani officials. “They arrived on Monday. They left for an unknown location later in the day and returned late at night.”
According to various reports, Qatar-based Afghan Taliban leaders will be the ones initially holding talks with Pakistani officials. “We don’t care if Kabul participates in the meeting, as we already launched our spring offensive and are getting successes against them,” the Taliban leader said.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz recently implied that Pakistan wasn’t in complete control when it comes to dealing with the Taliban. “Pakistan had some influence on the Taliban but it had no control over them,” he said. “It is up to the Afghan government to resume talks with Taliban and Pakistan’s job is only to facilitate the talks.”
Responding to Ghani’s allegations, Pakistani Foreign Office rejected accusations that it was differentiating between terrorist groups, and said that it was not only Pakistan’s responsibility to get the Taliban on board.
“Pakistan condemns all forms and manifestation of terrorism and it is committed in the fight against this menace,” Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. “Pakistan itself is the biggest victim of terrorism in which thousands of our security personnel have sacrificed their lives. Pakistan is making serious efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
Zakaria pointed out that Pakistan hosted the first round of direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban, adding that the Quadrilateral Coordination Group was formed with the specific goal of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“The quadrilateral process is turning out to be the toothless exercise that some of us suspected it would be,” says former Daily Times columnist Mohammad Taqi. “But Dr Ghani had to exhaust all the options through this diplomatic song and dance before confronting Pakistan at a forum like the UNSC.”
Taqi says the Quadrilateral Coordination Group buys a lot of time for Pakistan. “Islamabad seems to be betting on the Taliban getting a foothold in Helmand or Kandahar and moving their leaders there. This, however, is impossible given the NATO and ANSF’s strike capability even if some districts are held by Taliban. Therefore, Pakistan will keep repeating its mantra that it is doing its best and doesn’t control Taliban and so on.”
But a Foreign Office official – asking not to be named – says holding Pakistan accountable for Taliban violence was unfair. “We do not control the Taliban. Pakistan is fighting the Taliban itself, and is simultaneously working on regional peace on multiple fronts,” he says.
“We have been trying to facilitate a dialogue between Kabul and Taliban, which is what the Afghanistan government wants as well. Even in his comments on Monday, President Ghani said that he is open to talking to the Taliban who are willing to lay down arms. We are trying to help facilitate that, while at the same time fighting our own war against terror.”
President Ghani had said that Afghanistan faced a terrorist enemy ‘led by Taliban slaves in Pakistan’. He left the doors of negation open, adding that “this opportunity will not be there forever.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, reciprocated by calling the Afghan government ‘John Kerry’s slaves imposed on the Afghan people’.
“The nation is not blind. People understand who the slave is and who works for the interests of others,” he said on social media. “The rulers should face the same fate as Dr Najeeb,” he said in a threat referring to the brutal killing of Afghan president Najeebullah Ahmadzai after the mujahedeen takeover of Kabul in 1992.
The Taliban delegation’s arrival and Ghani’s outburst came a week after a bomb blast in Kabul killed at least 64 people and injured hundreds. According to insiders, Afghan officials allege the Haqqani Network planned the attack in Pakistan and got help from foreign intelligence circles.
Earlier this month, the Taliban had announced the start of their annual spring offensive, vowing ‘large-scale attacks’ across Afghanistan. Last month, the Afghan Taliban had reportedly ‘ruled out’ its participation in the quadrilateral process featuring Pakistan, Afghanistan, US and China, claiming that the talks were ‘futile’ while there are foreign forces in Afghanistan.
“We don’t expect Pakistan to bring the Taliban to the negotiating table,” Ghani said. “What we want is for Pakistan, based on the four nations’ agreement, to keep its promises and launch military operations against insurgents. There are no good or bad terrorists, they are just terrorists. Pakistan must understand that and act against them.”
"We don't care if Kabul doesn't participate"
“We are aware that Taliban delegations are in Pakistan,” says Dawa Khan Mina Pal, a spokesman for the Afghan president, “but we will not go there until Pakistan fulfils the promises that they made.”
A senior Afghan Taliban leader told Reuters on Tuesday that a delegation of leaders was in Karachi, holding talks with Pakistani officials. “They arrived on Monday. They left for an unknown location later in the day and returned late at night.”
According to various reports, Qatar-based Afghan Taliban leaders will be the ones initially holding talks with Pakistani officials. “We don’t care if Kabul participates in the meeting, as we already launched our spring offensive and are getting successes against them,” the Taliban leader said.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz recently implied that Pakistan wasn’t in complete control when it comes to dealing with the Taliban. “Pakistan had some influence on the Taliban but it had no control over them,” he said. “It is up to the Afghan government to resume talks with Taliban and Pakistan’s job is only to facilitate the talks.”
Responding to Ghani’s allegations, Pakistani Foreign Office rejected accusations that it was differentiating between terrorist groups, and said that it was not only Pakistan’s responsibility to get the Taliban on board.
“Pakistan condemns all forms and manifestation of terrorism and it is committed in the fight against this menace,” Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. “Pakistan itself is the biggest victim of terrorism in which thousands of our security personnel have sacrificed their lives. Pakistan is making serious efforts for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.”
Zakaria pointed out that Pakistan hosted the first round of direct talks between Kabul and the Taliban, adding that the Quadrilateral Coordination Group was formed with the specific goal of peace and stability in Afghanistan.
“The quadrilateral process is turning out to be the toothless exercise that some of us suspected it would be,” says former Daily Times columnist Mohammad Taqi. “But Dr Ghani had to exhaust all the options through this diplomatic song and dance before confronting Pakistan at a forum like the UNSC.”
Taqi says the Quadrilateral Coordination Group buys a lot of time for Pakistan. “Islamabad seems to be betting on the Taliban getting a foothold in Helmand or Kandahar and moving their leaders there. This, however, is impossible given the NATO and ANSF’s strike capability even if some districts are held by Taliban. Therefore, Pakistan will keep repeating its mantra that it is doing its best and doesn’t control Taliban and so on.”
But a Foreign Office official – asking not to be named – says holding Pakistan accountable for Taliban violence was unfair. “We do not control the Taliban. Pakistan is fighting the Taliban itself, and is simultaneously working on regional peace on multiple fronts,” he says.
“We have been trying to facilitate a dialogue between Kabul and Taliban, which is what the Afghanistan government wants as well. Even in his comments on Monday, President Ghani said that he is open to talking to the Taliban who are willing to lay down arms. We are trying to help facilitate that, while at the same time fighting our own war against terror.”
President Ghani had said that Afghanistan faced a terrorist enemy ‘led by Taliban slaves in Pakistan’. He left the doors of negation open, adding that “this opportunity will not be there forever.”
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Afghan Taliban, reciprocated by calling the Afghan government ‘John Kerry’s slaves imposed on the Afghan people’.
“The nation is not blind. People understand who the slave is and who works for the interests of others,” he said on social media. “The rulers should face the same fate as Dr Najeeb,” he said in a threat referring to the brutal killing of Afghan president Najeebullah Ahmadzai after the mujahedeen takeover of Kabul in 1992.