Pakistan’s efforts begin to revive Afghan Peace Talks

Pakistan has started its efforts to bring Taliban group to the negotiation table for rehabilitating its political prestige among the countries of the world.

This comes as a group of Taliban negotiators has arrived in Pakistan from the Islamist insurgency’s political office in Qatar for “exploratory” meetings with authorities in Islamabad.

The visit of the three-member Taliban delegation is part of efforts that Pakistan is “cautiously” making to facilitate resumption of Afghan peace and reconciliation talks, sources said.

The dramatic development happened on a day when Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani, in a speech to the national parliament, blamed Pakistan for not preventing fugitive Taliban leaders from using its soil to plot insurgent violence in Afghanistan.

The Taliban delegation includes Shahabuddin Dilawar, Jan Muhammad Madni and Mullah Abbas Akhund.

But when contacted by VOA, a Taliban spokesman said he was unaware whether its delegation traveled to Pakistan.

Sources described the visit of Taliban negotiators as a “step to test waters” in the wake of past experiences when efforts to start Afghan peace process faltered even before talks could open.

The Taliban maintains an office in Doha, the capital of Qatar, and it is authorized by its chief, Mullah Akhtar Mansoor, to conduct political talks.

A number of High Peace Council members say that Pakistan is in isolation and does not want to lose its policy.

“Pakistan’s policy has been marred and it want to maintain its policy by persuading Taliban group for negotiations,” Abdul Khaibar Achqun, deputy of the High Peace Council said.

Delegates from Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the United States held talks earlier this year to try to resurrect efforts to end nearly 15 years of bloodshed in Afghanistan, even as fighting with Taliban insurgents intensifies.

The officials met in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, to launch a process that they hope will lead to negotiations with the Taliban, who are fighting to re-impose their strict brand of Islamist rule and did not attend Monday’s talks.

Pakistan hosted the first direct talks between Taliban and Afghan government officials last July, the first such interaction since the Islamist group was ousted from power in 2001 and launched insurgent attacks against U.S.-led international and Afghan forces.