Taliban say ready for intra-Afghan talks

Afghan Taliban spokesperson insists on implementation of Doha accord clause on prisoners swap

ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban on Friday said they were ready to go ahead with the intra-Afghan talks scheduled for 10 March if provisions of the agreement related to prisoners release were implemented.

“If the provisions of the agreements are implemented and prisoners are release, the Islamic Emirate is prepared for intra-Afghan negotiations on March 10. Our negotiation team and agenda are ready and will go ahead as agreed,” Suhail Shaheen, the spokesperson of Taliban’s political office based in Doha said in a statement.

Shaheen, however, made it clear that Taliban would not be responsible if there was a delay in the start of intra-Afghan dialogue. “If the negotiations are delayed beyond the stated date, the responsibility will rest with the others,” the Taliban spokesperson added.

The Taliban statement came as Kabul was rocked by a terrorist attack targeting a political gathering. Several political figures were attended when unknown gunmen fired shots from the nearby building. Scores were dead and many others injured.

Khalilzad moves to prevent Taliban deal from unravelling

Taliban, however, distanced themselves from the attack. It is not clear, who carried out the attack but some suspected ISIS could be behind it. The latest attack, coupled with President Ashraf Ghani’s reluctance to abide by the prisoners exchange clause, has threatened to derail the peace process.

Ghani objected to the prisoners release on the ground that such a decision was the sovereign right of the Afghan government. He made it clear that his administration would not release 5,000 Taliban prisoners ahead of the intra-Afghan dialogue.

The stalemate prompted US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad to dash to Kabul and reminded the Ghani administration that the release of prisoners was not only part of the US-Taliban deal but also the US-Afghan joint agreement.

“We must act on all fronts to clear the road of obstacles that slow our progress toward intra-Afghan negotiations. I once again call on all Afghans to rise to the occasion, put country first and not to lose this historic opportunity,” he said in a series of tweets on Thursday.

“History will judge Afghans by how they embrace this moment of opportunity. The mistakes of the past should be avoided and Afghans must come together and build an inclusive, united and sovereign country,” Khalilzad added.

Pakistan, which facilitated and brokered the historic deal between US and Taliban, has also been urging all sides particularly the Afghan president to show flexibility and take full advantage of the rare opportunity to bring peace in Afghanistan.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s statement, however, was met with strong statement from Kabul, which called his remarks as interference in the of internal matters Afghanistan.

The intra-Afghan dialogue is seen as critical step towards evolving a consensus among all the Afghan groups for the future of Afghanistan. President Donald Trump recently spoke to Taliban’s political chief Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar over the telephone and vowed not to allow anyone to undermine the deal.

Meanwhile, Pakistan on Friday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Kabul, which resulted in the loss of several precious lives and injuries to many others. "Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have suffered in this tragedy. We are relieved that the leadership has remained unharmed," Foreign Office Spokesperson Aisha Farooqui said in a statement issued here.

The spokesperson said that Pakistan had consistently supported a negotiated political solution of the Afghan conflict. "This is a historic juncture. Pakistan urges all the parties to work together in a constructive spirit for establishing durable peace and stability in Afghanistan," the statement concluded.

With input from APP