US, Afghan Taliban deal raises hope for peace
The United States and the Afghan Taliban are set to sign a historic deal in Doha today
The United States and the Afghan Taliban are set to sign a historic deal in Doha today. PHOTO: EPA/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
The United States and the Afghan Taliban are set to sign a historic deal in Doha today (Saturday), bringing an end to the America’s longest war and raising hopes for peace in the war-ravaged country.
The peace deal is likely to be signed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of the Taliban movement and a top US official.
The Taliban want US President Donald Trump or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to sign the deal. However, it is not clear who will attend the ceremony on the US behalf till the filing of this report.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, meanwhile, will attend the ceremony from the Pakistani side.
Ahead of the signing ceremony, Qureshi told an audience at the Pakistani Embassy in Doha that the US-Taliban deal is a vindication of Islamabad’s stance that there is no solution to end the war in Afghanistan except through reconciliation.
Pakistan has played a key role in brokering the deal between the US and the Taliban since it not only facilitated the talks but also persuaded the insurgents to show flexibility on the issue of reduction of violence as well as intra-Afghan dialogue.
Delegates from other countries will also attend the ceremony while the Taliban said the brother of the Taliban deputy chief, Anas Haqqani, who was recently freed by Afghanistan and Australian professor Timothy Weeks, remained in the captivity of the Taliban from 2016 till his release recently, would also witness the signing ceremony.
Although official details are not available yet, the proposed agreement envisages a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops, release of prisoners by both the sides and guarantees that the Taliban will not allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda.
Observers believe the deal cannot be called a peace deal but rather an agreement that would pave the way for an intra-Afghan dialogue.
The talks between the Taliban and other Afghan groups -- including the current Kabul administration -- will hammer out crucial issues such as the post-US troops withdrawal political set up, a permanent ceasefire and rights of minorities, women and other matters.
One of the major scepticism expressed by critics is that whether the Taliban would show any flexibility in their hardline approach, particularly towards the rights of women.
Afghanistan — dealing with the deal
In a recent Op Ed, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the deputy Taliban chief, attempted to portray the Taliban as an outfit willing to reach a compromise on certain issues.
Haqqani spoke about women’s rights as well as establishing relationship with western countries -- including the US.
The major challenge, nevertheless, remains whether all Afghan groups would evolve a consensus on the future political dispensation in Afghanistan.
The recent controversy over the presidential elections has further compounded the problem.
Ashraf Ghani, who was declared a winner, was set to take oath earlier this week but had to postpone the ceremony on the US request.
His rival Dr Abdullah Abdullah contested the election results and claimed victory. The internal wrangling has threatened to undermine the talks between Taliban and US.
The United States and the Afghan Taliban are set to sign a historic deal in Doha today (Saturday), bringing an end to the America’s longest war and raising hopes for peace in the war-ravaged country.
The peace deal is likely to be signed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of the Taliban movement and a top US official.
The Taliban want US President Donald Trump or Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to sign the deal. However, it is not clear who will attend the ceremony on the US behalf till the filing of this report.
Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, meanwhile, will attend the ceremony from the Pakistani side.
Ahead of the signing ceremony, Qureshi told an audience at the Pakistani Embassy in Doha that the US-Taliban deal is a vindication of Islamabad’s stance that there is no solution to end the war in Afghanistan except through reconciliation.
Pakistan has played a key role in brokering the deal between the US and the Taliban since it not only facilitated the talks but also persuaded the insurgents to show flexibility on the issue of reduction of violence as well as intra-Afghan dialogue.
Delegates from other countries will also attend the ceremony while the Taliban said the brother of the Taliban deputy chief, Anas Haqqani, who was recently freed by Afghanistan and Australian professor Timothy Weeks, remained in the captivity of the Taliban from 2016 till his release recently, would also witness the signing ceremony.
Although official details are not available yet, the proposed agreement envisages a timetable for the withdrawal of US troops, release of prisoners by both the sides and guarantees that the Taliban will not allow the Afghan soil to be used again by terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda.
Observers believe the deal cannot be called a peace deal but rather an agreement that would pave the way for an intra-Afghan dialogue.
The talks between the Taliban and other Afghan groups -- including the current Kabul administration -- will hammer out crucial issues such as the post-US troops withdrawal political set up, a permanent ceasefire and rights of minorities, women and other matters.
One of the major scepticism expressed by critics is that whether the Taliban would show any flexibility in their hardline approach, particularly towards the rights of women.
Afghanistan — dealing with the deal
In a recent Op Ed, Sirajuddin Haqqani, the deputy Taliban chief, attempted to portray the Taliban as an outfit willing to reach a compromise on certain issues.
Haqqani spoke about women’s rights as well as establishing relationship with western countries -- including the US.
The major challenge, nevertheless, remains whether all Afghan groups would evolve a consensus on the future political dispensation in Afghanistan.
The recent controversy over the presidential elections has further compounded the problem.
Ashraf Ghani, who was declared a winner, was set to take oath earlier this week but had to postpone the ceremony on the US request.
His rival Dr Abdullah Abdullah contested the election results and claimed victory. The internal wrangling has threatened to undermine the talks between Taliban and US.