Reconciliation with Taliban: Afghan opposition leader opposes Pakistan’s role

Umer Daudzai says Afghans acceptable to both groups can restart process

KABUL: A prominent Afghan opposition politician has opposed President Ashraf Ghani’s strategy of including Pakistan in peace talks with Taliban, alleging Islamabad wants to control the insurgency.

“For 10 years we went through Islamabad and it didn’t work. They are playing games,” said Umer Daudzai, who has served as an ambassador to Pakistan.

Instead, he suggested, a small group of Afghans, acceptable to both Kabul and the Taliban could restart contacts leading ultimately to face-to-face meetings.

“But it should be Afghan-brokered,” reiterated Daudzai. He also blamed the power-sharing formula of President Ghani’s National Unity Government for crippling the fight against Taliban. “Political bargains on appointments in Afghan police and army have created chaos for security forces fighting the Taliban insurgent in strategic areas such as Helmand,” he said.

“It was a great mistake to include security forces in the 50/50 formula,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 28^th, 2015.