Haqqanis to join Omar’s Taliban in US peace talks

As the US plans to hold formal peace talks with the Mullah Omar-led Taliban in the next few days, another very powerful insurgent group, the Haqqani network, will also sit across the negotiations table alongside the Afghan Taliban, a significant development that brightens the chances for peace and stability in the war-torn neighbouring state of Afghanistan.

The representatives of Siraj Haqqani-led Haqqani network have already participated in some past preliminary discussions between the US and Taliban in Doha, Qatar. These preliminary discussions were held with intervals for some months before they were suspended early last year.

One of those Haqqanis’ representatives was said to be a close relative of Siraj Haqqani, son of former Afghan Mujahideen commander, Jalaluddin Haqqani, who had founded the Haqqani network and later announced allegiance to Mullah Omar.

The US officials, for the last couple of days, have been expressing hope about the participation of Haqqanis in Doha talks after the opening of the Taliban office in the Qatari capital but diplomatic sources in the Pakistani capital said important aspect of peace talks on future of Afghanistan had already been taken care of and now the Haqqani network’s representatives would also take part in peace negotiations whenever they take place.

“Haqqanis have never distanced themselves from the Mullah Omar-led Taliban and they have always said that they would follow the word and command of the Taliban supreme commander (Mullah Omar). As for Doha talks, the Haqqani network’s negotiators will also be there, there is all likelihood of that,” a source seeking anonymity said.

Meanwhile, the sources said US officials were trying their best to impress upon Afghan President Hamid Karzai to withdraw his announcement about the boycott of Doha talks and suspension of security agreement talks with the United States.

President Karzai made that announcement after protesting over the title of ‘Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan’ that the Taliban opted for as their newly-opened office’s name in Doha and also the flag that was hoisted at that building.

The sources, however, said President Karzai was actually perturbed over the proposed direct talks for peace between the US officials and Taliban representatives and he (Karzai) feared that eventually he would be left alone and out of the whole process.

A diplomatic source said Pakistan, which played a key role in the opening of the Taliban office in Doha and also the agreement between Washington and the Taliban for peace dialogue, was likely to set free some more Taliban prisoners in the days to come to facilitate the Afghanistan reconciliation process.

However, the source said the fate of the detained Taliban leader, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who is Mullah Omar’s deputy, was hanging in the balance. “The decision on Baradar has yet to be made by Islamabad,” he said.

The source said the US was also against the release of Baradar at the current stage and in case Pakistan decided to let him go, the US would like to have a pre-notification about his release from the prison.