FIle photo of Taliban prisoners being released. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The Afghan government, desperately searching for a way to negotiate peace before Nato troops leave next year, has said that the release of influential insurgents could encourage their comrades to the negotiating table.
But despite the 33 Afghan Taliban prisoners released by Pakistan and dozens of others freed in Afghanistan, there is still no peace process and some fighters have returned to the battlefield.
The Taliban still refuse publicly to deal with the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, branding him a US puppet.
They have also shown no willingness to participate in elections on April 5, 2014 when Karzai will step aside for a new leader for the first time since the 2001 US-led invasion.
Instead their readiness to negotiate with the Americans about a prisoner swap has only infuriated Karzai, who late last month asked Pakistan to help find a direct channel of communication.
In parts of Afghanistan, which continue to suffer daily from Taliban violence, the releases have been met with incomprehension if not anger by local government officials.
"The Taliban who are released... rejoin the battlefield again," said Zurawar Zahid, police chief of the flashpoint southern province of Ghazni.
"We put our lives in danger to arrest them, but the central government releases them under different pretences," he added.
Zahid told AFP that more than 40 Taliban, including some senior commanders, who were recently freed from Ghazni central prison on Karzai's orders have gone back to the battlefield.
Mohammad Ali Ahmadi, deputy provincial governor of Ghazni, also believes that the Taliban releases have done nothing to help.
"The people who are behind killings, bombings, killing innocent civilians and government officials should be punished.
"The central government knows they will rejoin the Taliban again after they are released, it is not going to help the peace process," he said.
Afghans have also complained about the manner in which the Pakistanis have released the detainees without giving any warning and without delivering them to Afghan authorities.
"We don't even know what happens to them after they're released," said Ismail Qasimyar, a senior member of the High Peace Council set up to reach out to the Taliban.
"When they decide to free Taliban, they only inform the Afghan government a few hours before," he added.
"The Taliban releases by Pakistan have not been effective for the Afghanistan peace process," he said.
Pakistan now says it intends to release its most senior Afghan Taliban detainee, former military leader Abdul Ghani Baradar who has been described as number two to supreme leader Mullah Omar.
He was picked up by Pakistani and American agents in Karachi in early 2010. Afghan and US officials at the time accused Pakistan of sabotaging peace efforts by arresting the reputed moderate.
But nearly four years later, the consequences of his release are deeply uncertain.
"He is no longer as important for the Taliban as he used to be before being arrested," said Pakistani militancy expert Rahimullah Yusufzai.
"Nor will it (the Taliban) accept him as a mediator. The Taliban would rather like to watch him before assigning him any role,” Yusufzai added.
"But I don't think Baradar will be assigned the kind of role that the US and Karzai administrations expect him to be given - to mediate between Kabul and the Taliban," Yusufzai further added.
Rather than benefiting peace talks, the releases have perhaps been limited to an attempt to re-establish trust between Kabul and Islamabad, whose relations are clouded by deep distrust.
Both trade blame over the Taliban militants threatening security in both countries, and Kabul accuses elements of the Pakistani state of funding, controlling and sheltering the Afghan Taliban.
Islamabad says publicly it will do anything to stop the fighting in Afghanistan.
"It will definitely send strong signals that Pakistan is contributing positively to the peace process," retired Pakistani general Talat Masood told AFP.
"However, this release is not likely to make any significant difference in the negotiating process," he added.
COMMENTS (8)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1732354127-0/Untitled-design-(3)1732354127-0-270x192.webp "north america s oldest macaroni penguins mark their 40th year")
1732344836-0/BeFunk_§_]__-(37)1732344836-0.jpg "israeli attack targets hospital killing seven medics in lebanon")
@Zalmai: Whether you wish to accept it or not, Karzai was the one who repeatedly pushed Pakistan to release those prisoners. I find it very hypocritical that you call Pakistan a puppet of USA, when Karzai the mayor of Kabul cannot move anywhere without American security and all those Afghan government ministers get rich from American suitcases full of dollars. Also, Pakistani Taliban are not affiliated with Afghan Taliban.
@ CK
Pakistan is on its knees bending over backward, forward and sideways to please the masters of the universe, USA and it is in no position to do anything to Karzai.
It is too busy trying to appease Ehsan Ehsanullah and other non state actors that are the unofficial rulers of the country.
Pakistan will bring Karzai to his knees now for getting cozy with India, not that he isn't already.
The Taliban who are released… rejoin the battlefield again,” What do you expect them to do? Fighting is the only skill they know. That is their only bread & butter! How can they turn their back to it?
The governments on both sides Durrand Line bent backwards in order to engage with a dialogue with the respective Taliban. Efforts on both sides are going to end up in smoke with both Talibans having the last laugh.
This song and dance and dog and pony show is going straight to video release. These B movies don't sell anymore in theaters, they have no takers and buyers because they are frauds and their creators are masters of deception.
The Taliban movie is a Lollywood production that nobody wants to watch but the directors keep trying to sell a bad movie with new actors and villains two decades later.
And now they are asking the release of close to 5000 terrorists;if all of the released already had rejoined taliban for terrorist activities,would it make sense to even consider this request?
We have not released Taliban to facilitate your peace process Mr. Karzai.. We have done it to facilitate ours! :p