Afghanistan urges Pakistan to free Taliban prisoners for peace
Pakistan has already released 26 high profile Afghan Taliban leaders last year.
A file photo of Mullah Baradar who Afghanistan want Pakistan to release. PHOTO: NYT/FILE
KABUL:
Pakistan could secure peace in Afghanistan by releasing dozens of senior Taliban prisoners to help kick-start the process, the Afghan foreign ministry said on Saturday, in remarks that underscore the issues plaguing peace talks in Qatar.
The ministry's statement was a response to comments by the Pakistani foreign ministry on Tuesday, which welcomed the opening of a Taliban office in the Qatari capital of Doha, saying the country stood "ready to continue to facilitate the (peace) process to achieve lasting peace".
Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of playing a double game regarding the 12-year-old war against the Taliban, claiming that its neighbour makes public pronouncements about peace but allows elements of its military complex to play a spoiling role.
"(If) Pakistan has the sincere determination to support the Afghan peace process ... then the most useful and urgent step would be to release those Afghan Taliban leaders who have been arrested by Pakistani authorities," the Afghan foreign ministry said.
"The release of these prominent Taliban leaders would provide the High Peace Council of Afghanistan with the opportunity to start peace talks with them," it added, referring to a body set up by President Hamid Karzai in 2010 to seek a negotiated end to the 12-year war with a Taliban-led insurgency.
The Taliban opened its Doha office this week amid hopeful signs of movement in a long-stalled peace process.
But the opening ceremony caused a stir, with Taliban envoys raising the Taliban flag and signs proclaiming the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", the name used during their brief rule from 1996 to 2001.
This prompted Karzai to cancel plans for an Afghan peace delegation to travel to Qatar and suspend talks with the United States over a vital security pact in the belief it had failed to ensure the Taliban did not misuse the office.
Afghanistan's main opposition party and alliance of the country's northern leaders, the National Front, also condemned the fanfare over the opening of the Taliban office.
"This is an illegal act, in conflict with international conventions and causes serious damage to the legitimacy of the Afghan political state," they said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan is seen as crucial to stability in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops look to leave the country in 2014, given close political and economic ties and because militant sanctuaries straddle the mountainous border.
Afghanistan has long sought the release of, or at least access to, dozens of senior Taliban officials captured in Pakistan, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban leader Mullah Omar's former second in command and a hugely influential figure in the insurgency.
Baradar was the day-to-day commander responsible for leading the Taliban campaign against US and NATO troops, until his capture in 2010 in Karachi by a joint team of CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers.
Afghan officials believe Baradar could play a key role in talks with the insurgents, acting as a go-between with Taliban leaders, including Omar.
Pakistan though has released as many as 26 high level Afghan Taliban leaders since November 2012 to help spur the Afghan peace process and has even considered to release Baradar.
Pakistan's response
Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Chaudhry, while declining to comment specifically on the Taliban prisoners issue, said Saturday that Pakistan remains committed to the peace process planned to take place in Qatar.
“We will remain positive and will consider each step necessary that helps to advance the reconciliation process taking place in Doha, which we supported for the regional peace and stability.
“Reasons for not taking part in the reconciliation process are best known to Mr Karzai, we cannot comment over it.”
The spokesperson added that “Kabul should not issue such statements at this point of time when a stalemate in peace talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Doha is over after a hell of efforts to resume it.”
Pakistan could secure peace in Afghanistan by releasing dozens of senior Taliban prisoners to help kick-start the process, the Afghan foreign ministry said on Saturday, in remarks that underscore the issues plaguing peace talks in Qatar.
The ministry's statement was a response to comments by the Pakistani foreign ministry on Tuesday, which welcomed the opening of a Taliban office in the Qatari capital of Doha, saying the country stood "ready to continue to facilitate the (peace) process to achieve lasting peace".
Afghanistan has long accused Pakistan of playing a double game regarding the 12-year-old war against the Taliban, claiming that its neighbour makes public pronouncements about peace but allows elements of its military complex to play a spoiling role.
"(If) Pakistan has the sincere determination to support the Afghan peace process ... then the most useful and urgent step would be to release those Afghan Taliban leaders who have been arrested by Pakistani authorities," the Afghan foreign ministry said.
"The release of these prominent Taliban leaders would provide the High Peace Council of Afghanistan with the opportunity to start peace talks with them," it added, referring to a body set up by President Hamid Karzai in 2010 to seek a negotiated end to the 12-year war with a Taliban-led insurgency.
The Taliban opened its Doha office this week amid hopeful signs of movement in a long-stalled peace process.
But the opening ceremony caused a stir, with Taliban envoys raising the Taliban flag and signs proclaiming the "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan", the name used during their brief rule from 1996 to 2001.
This prompted Karzai to cancel plans for an Afghan peace delegation to travel to Qatar and suspend talks with the United States over a vital security pact in the belief it had failed to ensure the Taliban did not misuse the office.
Afghanistan's main opposition party and alliance of the country's northern leaders, the National Front, also condemned the fanfare over the opening of the Taliban office.
"This is an illegal act, in conflict with international conventions and causes serious damage to the legitimacy of the Afghan political state," they said in a statement on Saturday.
Pakistan is seen as crucial to stability in Afghanistan as most foreign combat troops look to leave the country in 2014, given close political and economic ties and because militant sanctuaries straddle the mountainous border.
Afghanistan has long sought the release of, or at least access to, dozens of senior Taliban officials captured in Pakistan, including Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, Taliban leader Mullah Omar's former second in command and a hugely influential figure in the insurgency.
Baradar was the day-to-day commander responsible for leading the Taliban campaign against US and NATO troops, until his capture in 2010 in Karachi by a joint team of CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers.
Afghan officials believe Baradar could play a key role in talks with the insurgents, acting as a go-between with Taliban leaders, including Omar.
Pakistan though has released as many as 26 high level Afghan Taliban leaders since November 2012 to help spur the Afghan peace process and has even considered to release Baradar.
Pakistan's response
Foreign Office spokesperson Aizaz Chaudhry, while declining to comment specifically on the Taliban prisoners issue, said Saturday that Pakistan remains committed to the peace process planned to take place in Qatar.
“We will remain positive and will consider each step necessary that helps to advance the reconciliation process taking place in Doha, which we supported for the regional peace and stability.
“Reasons for not taking part in the reconciliation process are best known to Mr Karzai, we cannot comment over it.”
The spokesperson added that “Kabul should not issue such statements at this point of time when a stalemate in peace talks between US officials and Taliban representatives in Doha is over after a hell of efforts to resume it.”