Karzai’s office reveals contents of letter to Prime Minister Nawaz
Afghan president spells out conditions for cooperation in fighting militants.
ISLAMABAD:
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to release all leaders of the Afghan Taliban willing to join the peace process, Karzai’s office said late Saturday while revealing the contents of his letter to the Pakistani premier.
The letter was handed over to Nawaz by Karzai’s top security adviser during the latter’s one-day trip to Islamabad on Thursday.
“Pakistan had sought Afghanistan’s cooperation with regards to the ongoing North Waziristan operation. President Karzai conveyed Afghanistan’s conditions and proposals to Pakistan, to jointly fight against terrorism,” Karzai’s office said.
“I will cooperate on the condition that, (1) all terrorists are targeted without discrimination, (2) civilians are not harmed in the fight against terror, (3) Pakistan releases all detained Afghan Taliban leaders who support peace in Afghanistan, (4) all terrorist hideouts and support centres are eliminated, (5) Pakistan stops artillery shelling on Afghan territory, (6) Pakistan and Afghanistan coordinate their anti-terrorism efforts with important regional nations like India and China, (7) there should be a roadmap for bilateral coordination and contact to take the war on terror forward,” Karzai wrote in the letter.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2014.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has urged Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to release all leaders of the Afghan Taliban willing to join the peace process, Karzai’s office said late Saturday while revealing the contents of his letter to the Pakistani premier.
The letter was handed over to Nawaz by Karzai’s top security adviser during the latter’s one-day trip to Islamabad on Thursday.
“Pakistan had sought Afghanistan’s cooperation with regards to the ongoing North Waziristan operation. President Karzai conveyed Afghanistan’s conditions and proposals to Pakistan, to jointly fight against terrorism,” Karzai’s office said.
“I will cooperate on the condition that, (1) all terrorists are targeted without discrimination, (2) civilians are not harmed in the fight against terror, (3) Pakistan releases all detained Afghan Taliban leaders who support peace in Afghanistan, (4) all terrorist hideouts and support centres are eliminated, (5) Pakistan stops artillery shelling on Afghan territory, (6) Pakistan and Afghanistan coordinate their anti-terrorism efforts with important regional nations like India and China, (7) there should be a roadmap for bilateral coordination and contact to take the war on terror forward,” Karzai wrote in the letter.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 29th, 2014.