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Khalilzad says intra-Afghan negotiations “must begin immediately”
The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad said that the intra-Afghan negotiations “must begin immediately” after the roadblock ahead of the prisoner releases was resolved.
“We welcome the government now having exceeded 3000 Talib prisoners released and the Taliban 500+. It is important that the process continues and the prisoners’ release roadblock resolved,” Khalilzad said in a series tweets.
He added that the Afghan-owned, Afghan-led negotiations between the Afghan government and the Taliban negotiating team “must begin immediately thereafter.”
(2/4) The Afghan-owned, Afghan-led negotiations between the inclusive Islamic Republic team and the Taliban negotiating team must begin immediately thereafter. From the start, getting to intra-Afghan negotiations (IAN) has been a key objective of our diplomacy.
— U.S. Special Representative Zalmay Khalilzad (@US4AfghanPeace) June 11, 2020
“From the start, getting to intra-Afghan negotiations (IAN) has been a key objective of our diplomacy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the US official has welcomed the Taliban statement specifying they will participate in the intra-Afghan negotiation within one week of the prisoner release commitment outlined in our agreement.
“Although many practical details need to be worked out, these developments are all very positive,” he noted.
“We are closer to the goal of IAN than ever before,” Khalilzad tweeted.
He urged all sides to sit around the negotiations table “as soon as possible” and “prevent spoilers from undermining the process and betraying the hopes and yearning of Afghan people for peace.”
It comes as the Afghan Presidential Palace says that the time and place for holding the Intra-Afghan talks will be determined soon.
Meanwhile, Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation, has said in his meetings with the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff and the head of the U.S. Institute of Peace that the peace talks are moving in the right direction.
Meeting with the Qatari special envoy, Hamid Karzai, and Abdul Rab Rasoul Sayyaf has also called the recent peace efforts hopeful.
It is said that the Intra-Afghan talks will begin in mid-June once the process of releasing prisoners by both sides is completed.
Also, the United States, Russia, and Afghanistan are going to discuss the process of the IAN negotiation, this Monday.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, has expressed concern over recent developments along the Durand Line, saying Pakistan has increased military and economic pressure on villages and residents living near the line.
In a statement, Karzai said the apparent purpose of these pressures is to push residents of Durand Line areas to seek help from Pakistani institutions for resolving security and other local issues.
He added that, amid this situation, some tribal elders from both sides of the Durand Line recently signed documents described as “peace agreements,” which were later officially welcomed by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to Karzai, these developments amount to an effort by Pakistan to legitimize the Durand Line and represent an action against Afghanistan’s national sovereignty.
The former Afghan president also urged the relevant Afghan authorities to provide the public with a clear explanation regarding the recent agreements and developments along the Durand Line.
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SAARC failure pushes Pakistan toward trilateral ties with Afghanistan, China, Bangladesh: Dar
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar has said that the failure of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) is pushing Pakistan toward exploring trilateral cooperation frameworks involving Afghanistan, China, and Bangladesh.
Speaking at the South Asian Federation of Accountants (SAFA) Conference in Lahore on Friday, Dar said SAARC has “unfortunately not been able to kick off,” limiting regional economic integration and cooperation.
He said Pakistan is now looking at alternative regional arrangements to strengthen economic connectivity and trade, including trilateral formats such as China–Pakistan–Afghanistan and China–Pakistan–Bangladesh.
Dar stressed that South Asia cannot remain in “isolation,” noting that the region, home to nearly two billion people, is missing significant economic opportunities due to weak cooperation among neighbouring countries.
The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 1985 to promote economic and regional integration among South Asian countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The organisation was designed to encourage cooperation in areas such as trade, development, education, and cultural exchange. However, in recent years, SAARC’s effectiveness has been significantly limited due to political tensions between member states, particularly between India and Pakistan, leading to stalled summits and reduced regional engagement.
As a result, regional economic cooperation in South Asia has largely remained underdeveloped compared to other regional blocs around the world.
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IEA leaders contact Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences over Sheikh Idris’s death
According to a statement issued by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan (JUI-F), senior leaders of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) contacted JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to express condolences following the killing of prominent religious scholar Sheikh Muhammad Idris in Charsadda.
The statement said that the callers included Defense Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid, Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani, Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, and spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid.
According to JUI-F media cell, the Afghan leadership expressed sorrow over Sheikh Idris’s death and prayed for his elevated status. They also strongly condemned his killing and said they share the grief of the bereaved family and religious community.
The statement further added that the Islamic Emirate expressed solidarity with JUI-F, religious scholars, and students, and said that the people of Afghanistan share the grief of the Pakistani people over the incident.
Sheikh Idris, a senior member of JUI-F was shot dead by armed motorcyclists in the Utmanzai area of Charsadda on May 5, while he was traveling to a madressah. Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack.
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