Fragile peace process: Officials claim progress in secret Afghan talks

Headway seen after Mullah Omar authorised Mullah Baradar to initiate dialogue on Taliban’s behalf.

ISLAMABAD: While peace remains elusive in the strife-torn Afghanistan, behind-the-scene talks to strike a peace deal have covered ‘considerable ground’, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Officials familiar with secret negotiations among Washington, Kabul, Islam­abad and the Afghan Taliban disclosed that there has been considerable progress since Mullah Muhammad Omar authorised his former deputy Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to initiate dialogue on behalf of the militia.

Officials, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, said the recent meeting between Mullah Baradar and representatives of the Afghan High Peace Council at an undisclosed location in Pakistan could prove to be a ‘turning point’ in breaking the impasse in the fragile peace process.

Although little information has been shared officially by the stakeholders about the prospects of a peace deal, it is believed that efforts seeking a political solution to the 12-year-old conflict have been stepped up in recent weeks. One senior Pakistani official revealed that more meetings between Mullah Baradar and Afghan interlocutors were expected in the coming weeks. He added that senior American officials who have been in indirect contact with Mullah Baradar were likely to meet him soon.

Mullah Baradar, a former close aide of Mullah Omar, was released from a Pakistani jail in September this year in order to provide a fresh impetus to the Afghan peace process. But there were doubts at the time that he enjoyed the same clout in the Taliban hierarchy that he had in the past.

“He [Mullah Baradar] still enjoys the trust and confidence of the Taliban leadership and that is why there are better chances of a positive outcome of the ongoing efforts,” one official said.

Despite progress in the peace process, some officials were cautious in leaping to conclusions at this stage. “There has been some progress, but a lot more needs to be done,” said a security official.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 9^th, 2013.