Murree talks only credible way to peace: Gen Raheel

Army chief warns detractors and spoilers of the process are against peace

ISLAMABAD:

Army chief General Raheel Sharif has said that the Pakistan-brokered peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban is the only ‘credible’ way to restore lasting peace in the war-torn country. He said this while presiding over a meeting of the corps commanders at the GHQ in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.

According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the ISPR, Gen Raheel warned that detractors and spoilers of the peace process were against peace and prosperity in Afghanistan and the region.

This was the first formal reaction from the Pakistan Army on the nascent Afghan peace process, whose fate hangs in the balance following the confirmation of death of Taliban supreme leader Mullah Omar and the subsequent rifts in the ranks of the ultraorthodox militia.

Read: Pakistan to coax Afghan Taliban back into talks

The second round of talks, which was scheduled to take place on July 31 in Pakistan, was postponed at the request of the Afghan government and the Taliban leadership.

Gen Raheel’s statement indicates that Pakistan is still keen to take the ‘Murree process’ to its logical end. The first face-to-face talks between Afghan government officials and Taliban representatives were brokered by Pakistan and Gen Raheel is believed to have played a crucial role in it.



Sources said that despite reports of rifts within the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan would persuade the new Afghan Taliban leadership to resume peace talks at the earliest. New Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansoor is considered a pragmatic leader, who is in favour of talks.

In his first audio message, the new Taliban chief, however, gave mixed signals on the fledgling peace process. While calling talks the enemy’s propaganda, Mullah Mansoor did not rule out negotiations along with ‘Jihad’ to achieve the objectives.

Unprovoked Indian shelling

The corps commanders also discussed the frequent ceasefire violations by Indian border forces along the Line of Control and working boundary. According to the ISPR, the corps commanders reviewed the state of readiness and vigil being maintained by Pakistani troops along the LoC. Gen Raheel made it clear that Pakistan’s armed forces were fully prepared to respond to the ‘entire spectrum of threat.’

Pakistan on Tuesday lodged a strong protest after Indian troops killed three civilians and injured 22 others in ‘unprovoked’ shelling. According to a Foreign Office statement, Indian security forces resorted to unprovoked firing in Pukhlian-Aknur sector on the working boundary in Bajwat sector along the LoC.

Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilluah said Indian forces started ceasefire violations at New Kane and two other posts at 0530 hours on Tuesday. Pakistani posts responded to the provocation, he said, adding that Indian troops then opened fire from all their posts in the area targeting civilians and villages.

Read: Won't deal with Taliban separately, says Afghan govt

The spokesperson said the Pakistan government conveyed its deep concern at the continuous ceasefire violations by the Indian side at the LoC and the working boundary and targeting of civilians. While condemning the aggression, Pakistan impressed upon India to observe the 2003 ceasefire understanding to create peace and tranquility at the LoC and the boundary.


Published in The Express Tribune, August 5^th, 2015.