A file photo of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman speaking to the media in Peshawar. PHOTO: NNI
Rehman was reported to be in Qatar to "encourage the negotiators to talk to the Afghan government."
The group termed the reports incorrect.
“We want to make it categorically clear that the honourable head of the political office of the Islamic Emirate and any other member of the office in Qatar has neither met anyone nor any such meeting had been under consideration,” said the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.
The Pashto-language statement, the first formal reaction to the reported Rehman-Taliban contact, was emailed to The Express Tribune.
However, sources close to the Taliban in Qatar, have confirmed to The Express Tribune that Rehman held one round of talks with the Taliban negotiators in Qatar and that more talks are planned.
The JUI-F chief - who was earlier scheduled to return home on Tuesday - has also extended his stay in the Gulf state, the sources said.
Another JUI-F source in Pakistan, had earlier told The Express Tribune, that Rehman had gone to Qatar to meet representatives of the Afghan Taliban to "reduce gap" between the Taliban and the Karzai government.
Taliban has so far refused to hold talks with the Afghan government, which they say is powerless and installed by foreigners.
They quickly rejected a recent call by the Afghanistan-Pakistan-UK summit in London where leaders in a joint statement asked the Taliban to begin intra-Afghan talks.
The JUI-F source said that Rehman had agreed to travel to Qatar and to meet the Taliban negotiators after he was authorised by the Pakistani government. Rehman had told the government he will not meet the Taliban as the JUI-F head but as a state representative.
“The Karzai government was also on board before Rehman’s trip,” the source told The Express Tribune.
According to the source, Rehman had clarified that his efforts will not be equivalent to the Taliban-US talks as that was Taliban’s own move.
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@SALEEM TAHIR: what was the fate of mughals then, i hope uou have at least an idea about that. It were MONGOLS or MUGHALS whatever you call mean the same, responsible for the downfall of Muslims as they have not carried out any major educational reforms who would have helped us today, rather spent their lives in constucting unnecessary shrines in the memory of either their wives or pets! so at least dont promote mughals
@Zalmai: Then, God will bring another outside force that will invade Pakistan like Mongols invaded Iran and finish off Taliban and Pakistan We have a chance and choice to finish off the taliban before Taliban change Pakistan to Talibanistan or before outside invading force finish off both Pakistan and Taliban.God forbid .
@Saleem Tahir
You cannot wipe out assets that operate through the patronage of the GHQ. The Hashishains were wiped out by an invading Mongol force not by domestic forces.
Taliban are the new Hashishains ( Assassins) of the middle ages. They are against education and schooling , a Fardh ( obligatory) teaching in Islam according to Quran (" Iqra"..acquire knowlede.. and Hadith ( "acquiring knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim,mand and woman" ,learn even if you have to go to china). They are spiritually blind killers,brain washed by the misinterpretation of Islam ( peace),a bunch of killers intoxicated by the rabid clergy and having been promised paradise by the clerics ,like the Hashishains by Hassan bin Sabah. To negotiate with them is like giving in to their ignorance and intlerance. Pakistan will regret negotiating with them,they never kept their end of the deals in the past and never will. Wipe them out like Mongols wiped out Hashishains.
@THE Yes there is a lot of diesel in Qatar
He went to Qatar to get some Desiel.
One wonders as to why the media managers of JUI(F) created the impression about the likely meeting of Maulana Fazalur Rehman with Afghan Taliban negotiators in Qatar. As a matter of fact the leadership of JUI(S) has more intimate relations with Afghan Taliban. It is also pertinent to mention that JUI(S) has accepted the invitation to participate in ANP,s sponsors APC to work out a strategy of peace talks with TTP, whereas the JUI(F) has ridiculed the ANP initiative from the very outset.
Another Topi drama!
......oouch! that must have hurt. But not to worry we'll make it up with shopping.