Afghan peace process: Taliban deny Doha rendezvous with JUI-F chief

Sources, however, confirm one round of talks.


Tahir Khan February 14, 2013
A file photo of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman speaking to the media in Peshawar. PHOTO: NNI

ISLAMABAD:


The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday dismissed media reports stating that chief of his own faction of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Taliban negotiators in the Qatari capital of Doha.


Reportedly, the Maulana was in Qatar to “encourage the negotiators to talk to the Afghan government.” However, the group emphatically termed the reports as incorrect.

“We want to make it categorically clear that the honourable head of the political office of the Islamic Emirate, and any other member of the office in Qatar, has neither met anyone nor had any such meeting been under consideration,” said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid.

The Pashto-language statement – the first formal reaction to the reported Fazl-Taliban contact – was emailed to The Express Tribune.

Yet, on the other hand, sources close to the Taliban in Qatar have confirmed to The Express Tribune that the Maulana did, in fact, hold one round of talks with the Taliban negotiators and that more talks have been planned.

Furthermore, Maulana Fazl was scheduled to return home on Tuesday, but has extended his stay in the Gulf state, the sources said.

Earlier, another JUI-F source in Pakistan told The Express Tribune that the Maulana had gone to Qatar to meet representatives of the Afghan Taliban to “reduce the gap” between the ultraconservative militia and the Karzai government.



The JUI-F source added that the Maulana had agreed to travel to Qatar and to meet the Taliban negotiators after he was authorised by the Pakistani government. Moreover, Maulana Fazl apparently told the government he would not meet the Taliban as the JUI-F head but as a state representative.

“The Karzai government was also on board with Maulana Fazl’s trip,” the source said, adding that the JUI-F chief clarified that his efforts will not be equivalent to the Taliban-US talks, as that was Taliban’s own move.

Obama’s withdrawal plan

After US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, in which he announced the withdrawal of 34,000 troops next year, the Taliban demanded complete withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan.

“This announcement by Obama is not the core solution to the problem and steps must be taken for a complete withdrawal. That will be in the interests of America and Afghanistan,” said the Taliban in their statement. “The work, which could be done tomorrow with more losses, disgrace and humiliation, must be done today. The occupation of Afghanistan must be brought to an end.”

The statement went on to say that the time has come for the American president and the leaders of other invading countries to understand the realities of the ‘futile war’ and, instead of tactical efforts, troop reductions and gradual withdrawals, they should focus on the living conditions, demands and needs of their own people.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2013.

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