Update:Pakistan Foreign office official statement over first round of Taliban – Afghan government talks ended in Islamabad
Islamabad, Pakistan: First round of Pakistan hosted talks between Afghan Taliban and Afghan government concluded on Tuesday night in Islamabad.
Closed-door two-day first round of talks was attended by Taliban delegation from Qatar head by Mullah Abbas Durrani. Partners in talks included representatives of Qatar, UAE, United States, China, Norway and delegation of Afghan government.
Pakistani side was headed by Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry. Deputy Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Hekmat Khalil Karzai is heading the government delegation comprising of Haji Din Mohammad from Pushtun cadre and Mohammad Natiqi from non-Pushtun cadre.
Islamabad talks are coinciding with SCO summit in Ufa Russia where terrorism and security issues are top on agenda. China and Russia are worried about increasing influence of Islamic state in Afghanistan and wish to play a role to bring peace to Afghanistan.
Regional experts believe that infighting between Taliban and Afghan government will only support Islamic State (Daiesh) to win the country soon. China hosted secret talks of Taliban and Afghan government in in May 2015 in Urumqi and Pakistan was asked by China to play the role of facilitator of Urumqi talks.
Regional experts believe that talks will end without any results because Taliban want to make Afghanistan an Islamic state with holy Quran as its Constitution on the format of Saudi Arabian form of rule.
Afghan Taliban circles maintain that the political system offered by then (Taliban) for any peace deal with Afghan government has no place democratic system and representation of women in government affairs.
“Any peace deal with Afghan government is possible if they (Afghan government) are ready to accept Quran and Sunnah as Supreme rulers of the Emirate (Afghanistan)”, said Afghan Taliban circles.
Regional experts believe that fear of rise of Islamic State has pushed international players as well as Taliban to start negotiations but such negotiations have no future because European countries that fought 14 years in Afghanistan and spent billions of US dollars to make Afghanistan a democratic country will never accept to make to Emirates like UAE or Saudi Arabia.
Official statement of Foreign Office Pakistan:
Foreign Office Pakistan spokesman said talks were hosted by Pakistan as part of the commitment to facilitate an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process.
The representatives of China and the USA also participated in the meeting.
During the talks both sides presented their stances on the prevailing situation in Afghanistan and how progress could be made.
The Foreign Office spokesman said participants exchanged views on ways and means to bring peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
The spokesman said participants recognized the need to undertake confidence building measures in order to engender trust among all stakeholders.
The participants were duly mandated by their respective leadership and expressed their collective desire to bring peace to Afghanistan and the region, and agreed to continue talks to create an environment conducive to the peace and reconciliation process.
The spokesman said the government of Pakistan expressed its profound thanks to the afghan government and the Tehreek-i-Taliban Afghanistan for their willingness to work towards bringing lasting peace in Afghanistan.
He also thanked other partners, including the United Nations, for their contribution to peace, stability and development of Afghanistan.
