Pak seeks to reset ties with Afghanistan

Islamabad decides to give diplomacy a chance amid concerns over TTP sanctuaries

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has decided to make a renewed push to reset the troubled relationship with Afghanistan, according to officials familiar with the development.

In order to give diplomacy a chance, the government once again brought in a veteran diplomat and expert on Afghanistan, Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, to spearhead the fresh efforts.

Sadiq, who served as Pakistan's ambassador to Kabul and after retirement as special envoy on Afghanistan, stepped down from his role when he developed differences with the previous government over initiating direct talks with the banned Tehreek-e-Talian Pakistan (TTP).

The government then appointed Ambassador Asif Durrani as special envoy for Pakistan. However, Durrani had to leave the job in September after he could not deliver the desired results.

The position remained vacant for several weeks before Sadiq agreed to accept the government's offer to become the country's point person for Afghanistan again.

Sources said the move was part of efforts by the government to reopen a channel of communication with the Taliban regime.

Ambassador Sadiq has been tasked with initiating diplomatic manoeuvres to sort out the differences between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

His main job is to find a solution to the terrorist hideouts Pakistan believes are there in neighbouring Afghanistan.

The issue of TTP sanctuaries has cast a shadow on the bilateral ties as Pakistan limited its contacts with the Afghan interim government.

However, sources said after reviewing the current situation, Pakistan has decided to give diplomacy a chance to resolve the problem.

After becoming the special envoy, Ambassador Sadiq managed to arrange a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Afghanistan charge d Affair earlier this week.

It was the first meeting between the acting Afghan Envoy to Pakistan and any top Pakistani official in Islamabad after a year.

The meeting came just days after a Pakistani chargé d'affaires in Kabul held a meeting with the Taliban's acting defence minister Mullah Yaqoob.

The flurry of meetings in Kabul and Islamabad seemed to be triggered by China's behind-the-scenes efforts seeking an end to the impasse between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained stalled due to the issue of terrorist sanctuaries across the border.

Islamabad has repeatedly stated that the surge in terrorist attacks is due to the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

Kabul has denied the allegations and instead urged Pakistan to strengthen its internal security.