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Taliban prisoner release faces technical issues
The Taliban technical team has started its work for four days in Kabul, but it hasn’t reached an agreement on the prisoner release.
Some sources close to the Taliban said that new conditions proposed by the government had challenged the process.
Jalaluddin Shinwari, the Taliban former Attorney General, said, “The latest conditions by the government have troubled the prisoner release.”
The government hasn’t revealed the new conditions, but sources said that the government urged the Taliban to reduce violence in exchange for the prisoner release – something that the United Nations and the European Union also insist on.
Antonio Gutierrez, the UN Secretary-General, said that he believed it’s time for the Taliban and the Afghan government to stop the war while COVID-19 is outbreaking adding that he would fully support it.
There are beliefs that the more the prisoner release is delayed, the more will the Intra-Afghan talks be damaged.
This comes as the government and political movements haven’t reached an agreement over the Intra-Afghan Talks’ agenda and the formation of “high council of reconciliation.”
Fawzia Kufi, a member of the negotiating team, said, “There is a need for agreement between the political leaders to prepare the agenda.”
The Taliban prisoner release faced challenges, although the Taliban technical team had earlier reached initial agreements with the government to release 100 Taliban prisoners, supposedly five days back, in exchange for 20 government prisoners.
Zalmay Khalilzad, the former US special representative for Afghanistan, has questioned Pakistan’s commitment to the welfare of the Afghan people, citing Islamabad’s policies over the past three decades.
Khalilzad said in a post on X that Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif advocated for the rights of Afghan women during his speech at the UN General Assembly on Friday.
Sharif said: “Fundamental rights of the Afghan people — especially women and girls — must be respected.”
Responding to the remarks, Khalilzad said Pakistan’s policies over the past 30 years raise questions about Sharif’s commitment to Afghan welfare.
He cited Pakistan’s support for militant groups against US forces and what he described as the poor treatment of Afghan refugees as examples.
Khalilzad also said Afghanistan and Pakistan need and should have much better relations, adding that “a reset is necessary.”
India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Rabab Fatima, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X that Misri underscored the need to keep addressing the humanitarian needs of the Afghan people as a priority.
Misri also appreciated the role of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) and reaffirmed India’s continued cooperation with the United Nations on Afghanistan.
The meeting comes as Afghanistan continues to face humanitarian and economic challenges, with international agencies warning of significant needs among the Afghan population.
Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi has called for pragmatic and coordinated international engagement with Afghanistan, saying the country’s long-term stability is closely linked to the security and sustainable development of Central Asia.
Speaking during the general debate of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, Tileuberdi said humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan remains essential but alone cannot break the cycle of poverty, displacement and dependency.
He said Kazakhstan supports a “pragmatic, coordinated and step-by-step” approach to international engagement with Afghanistan, with the United Nations playing a central role.
Tileuberdi also said Kazakhstan is working with the UN to operationalize the United Nations Regional Centre for the Sustainable Development Goals for Central Asia and Afghanistan in Almaty.
He said the success of the centre should be measured by the results and assistance it delivers to the region.
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