Talks on the fate of the remaining Taliban detainees have come to a halt ever since Afghanistan accused Pakistan of sabotaging the fragile peace process. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
The process of releasing Taliban prisoners currently in Pakistani custody has been suspended indefinitely due to renewed tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, The Express Tribune has learnt.
According to officials, talks between the two neighbours on the fate of the remaining Taliban detainees have come to a halt ever since Afghanistan accused Pakistan of sabotaging the fragile peace process.
“The focus at the moment is on de-escalating tensions. It has been a while since we last discussed the issue of Taliban releases,” said a senior Pakistani official familiar with the development. The official, who asked to remain anonymous, insisted that the delay was not on the part of Pakistan.
“It is Afghanistan which is reluctant to discuss the issue further,” he added.
The process of Taliban release started in November when Pakistan at the request of the Afghan High Peace Council freed more than a dozen detainees to help jump-start the reconciliation process. Subsequently, Islamabad released more Taliban prisoners, including ailing former Afghan justice minister Nooruddin Turabi, former Helmand governor Abdul Bari, Allahdad Tabib and Azam Kakoo in December, bringing the total number to 26.
The move was initially hailed by the Karzai administration. But later it claimed that many of the freed Taliban rejoined the insurgent group instead of facilitating the peace process.
Kabul accused Islamabad of mishandling the issue. The two countries then agreed to establish a mechanism under which future releases would be coordinated. Under the new arrangement, senior foreign ministry officials from the two sides would coordinate and prepare a list of prisoners for their release.
The two sides agreed to operationalise the mechanism in February at the trilateral summit attended by leaders from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Britain in London. However, officials from the two countries have yet to hold a maiden session in the wake of strains in ties.
The latest tensions stem from Afghanistan’s allegations that Pakistan had laid down preconditions for supporting the reconciliation process.
The Afghan deputy foreign minister recently said that his country could pursue talks with the Taliban without Pakistan, which is considered crucial for any peace deal.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 15th, 2013.
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There are three million Afghans in Pakistan today who for whatever misconstrued notions of philanthropy we let live in our bosom. We give them access to our meager resources such as schools, universities, hospitals, labor markets, etc.
Despite this charity, the Afghans hate us - the secularists hate us, their Taliban us, their technocrats hate us, their youth hate us even more - so why are we continuing with this folly.
There is again an increasing call to arms in all sections of Afghan society to repeat what "Daud Khan" did to Pakistan. These calls permeate the secularists, the zealots, the young and the old. When the Afghans pull another "Daud Khan" on us these three million Afghans have the potential to wreak havoc on us from within.
The needs of the hour are: 1. Pakistan should expel all 3 million Afghans refugees from Pakistan – there is no need to host a people who are ungrateful and hostile to Pakistanis 2. The resources Afghans consume in Pakistan: schools, hospitals, universities should go to Pakistanis – no point in giving these to a people, Afghans, who hate us Pakistanis 3. Pakistan should not provide transit trade to Afghans – it will reduce drugs and guns in Pakistan.
Afghans out of Pakistan! Good bye and good luck! Please prosper on the other side of the Durand Line! #AfghansOutOfPak - support us on twitter https://twitter.com/pakistani342