Diplomacy: Afghanistan to release all Pakistani prisoners says Fazl
Says onus is now on the government to grasp the initiative put forward by Karzai.
JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman. PHOTO: INP/FILE
ISLAMABAD:
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is willing to release all Pakistani prisoners currently languishing in Afghan jails, according to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Fazl revealed that in his meeting with Karzai, the Afghan leader promised the prisoner release as a goodwill gesture towards Pakistan. “Now it is the responsibility of the government to take the initiative forward. All those detained there were Pakistani citizens after all,” said Fazl who was addressing the media on his return from the visit to Kabul on Karzai’s invitation.
Fazl said the three-day visit achieved what all diplomatic effort could not gain for Pakistan in the last eight years with Afghanistan. He would soon hold a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and apprise him about the details of his visit, he added. Fazl said Pakistan has never been able to get a place for itself in Afghanistan despite all its effort during the Afghan jihad in the 80s.
“I have been repeatedly saying that an Indian lobby has been active in Afghanistan since 2002 and it was gaining ground over Pakistan there,” said Fazl.
The JUI-F chief said Pakistan had its reservations over the government in Afghanistan. However, he added, that any solution to the Afghan problem lay only in talks and evolving a consensus among all stakeholders.
“Pakistan will play a central role in talks with Taliban and our party supports talks between Taliban and the US,” said Fazl. He said he discussed region’s internal and external security issues with the Afghan president.
Fazl said his party had been invited to ‘Loya Jirga’ in Afghanistan in the past as well but he turned down the invitations. His party believed that any talks without Taliban participation could not succeed.
The Afghan Taliban as key stakeholder in peace in Afghanistan could not be left out and their consent on any arrangement between the Afghan government and the US was necessary, said Fazl.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2013.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai is willing to release all Pakistani prisoners currently languishing in Afghan jails, according to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazal (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
Fazl revealed that in his meeting with Karzai, the Afghan leader promised the prisoner release as a goodwill gesture towards Pakistan. “Now it is the responsibility of the government to take the initiative forward. All those detained there were Pakistani citizens after all,” said Fazl who was addressing the media on his return from the visit to Kabul on Karzai’s invitation.
Fazl said the three-day visit achieved what all diplomatic effort could not gain for Pakistan in the last eight years with Afghanistan. He would soon hold a meeting with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and apprise him about the details of his visit, he added. Fazl said Pakistan has never been able to get a place for itself in Afghanistan despite all its effort during the Afghan jihad in the 80s.
“I have been repeatedly saying that an Indian lobby has been active in Afghanistan since 2002 and it was gaining ground over Pakistan there,” said Fazl.
The JUI-F chief said Pakistan had its reservations over the government in Afghanistan. However, he added, that any solution to the Afghan problem lay only in talks and evolving a consensus among all stakeholders.
“Pakistan will play a central role in talks with Taliban and our party supports talks between Taliban and the US,” said Fazl. He said he discussed region’s internal and external security issues with the Afghan president.
Fazl said his party had been invited to ‘Loya Jirga’ in Afghanistan in the past as well but he turned down the invitations. His party believed that any talks without Taliban participation could not succeed.
The Afghan Taliban as key stakeholder in peace in Afghanistan could not be left out and their consent on any arrangement between the Afghan government and the US was necessary, said Fazl.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2013.