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Prisoner releases require transparent mechanism, not to lead back to war
President Ashraf Ghani said Saturday that the Afghan government had no interest in holding onto Taliban prisoners and that the release required a transparent mechanism, one that could lead to a positive change across the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of parliament’s new tenure, Ghani said that there had to be guaranteed in action so the prisoners would not return to battlefields.
“The Taliban’s demand for the release of 5,000 prisoners is before the start of the negotiations. I, the president, have no desire to have a Taliban prisoner. But the release of prisoners requires a transparent mechanism to witness how it could lead to a positive change and a comprehensive ceasefire,” Ghani said.
Meanwhile, Ghani said the negotiating team would be formed by the 10th March, highlighting that the draft of a possible agreement with the Taliban would be submitted to the Afghan parliament and if need, to the Loya Jirga- Afghan traditional Grand Assembly, for decision-making.
Ghani emphasized that the team would be inclusive with clear authority that represents all sides.
The president said that he was committed to preventing the long-term war, therefore, he took his stance firmly for the peace process.
“We are committed to preventing the dangers of falling back on to a sustained and uncontrolled war that may be imposed on us by organized terrorist groups, narcotics in particular, fueled by some hostile bodies in the region,” Ghani noted.
Suhail Shaheen, a spokesman for the Taliban, however, tweeted Friday “If the provisions of the agreements are implemented and prisoners are released, the Islamic Emirate is prepared for intra-Afghan negotiations on March 10. Our negotiation team and agenda are ready and will go ahead as agreed.”
Shaheen cautioned that the responsibility for any delay in the process would rest with the others.
Pakistan on Friday summoned Afghan Deputy Head of Mission in Islamabad to convey “strong demarche” over a deadly attack on a military camp in North Waziristan District that killed four Pakistani soldiers.
In a statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attack was carried out by a faction of Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
The statement said that Pakistan conveyed “grave concern over the continued support and facilitation” provided by the Islamic Emirate to TTP.
Pakistan has demanded “a full investigation and decisive action against the perpetrators and facilitators of the terrorist attacks launched against Pakistan from Afghan soil.”
It urged the Islamic Emirate “to take immediate, concrete and verifiable measures against all terror groups operating from its territory, including their leadership, and deny the continued use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan.
According to the statement, the Islamic Emirate has been “categorically informed that Pakistan reserves the right to defend its sovereignty and protect its citizens, and will take all necessary measures to respond to terrorism originating from Afghan soil.”
Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that attacks in the country are originated from Afghan soil, a charge the Islamic Emirate denies.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has underscored Afghanistan’s continued importance in regional cooperation, saying the country remains one of the key areas of interaction among regional partners.
Addressing the first summit of the “Central Asia Plus Japan” dialogue, Mirziyoyev said participating countries share a common aspiration to see Afghanistan become peaceful, stable, and oriented toward meaningful development.
The Uzbek president praised Japan’s longstanding and consistent support for Afghanistan, noting that Tokyo has for many years been among the leading donors and partners assisting the Afghan people.
He expressed confidence that coordinated efforts and joint contributions by regional countries and Japan would help improve living standards in Afghanistan, advance socio-economic and infrastructure development, and facilitate the country’s active involvement in regional economic projects.
The Embassy of Japan in Afghanistan announced on Friday that the country has allocated $19.5 million in humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan.
In a statement, the Japanese Embassy said it hopes the aid will help bring positive change to the lives of vulnerable Afghans.
According to the statement, the assistance will cover the basic humanitarian needs of vulnerable communities in Afghanistan.
The embassy added that the aid will be delivered through United Nations agencies, international organizations, and Japanese non-governmental organizations operating in Afghanistan.
Japan’s total assistance to Afghanistan since August 2021 has reached more than $549 million.
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