As the United States and Pakistan inch closer to the resumption of full-fledged counter-terrorism cooperation in the aftermath of a joint session of the parliament being held on Tuesday (tomorrow) to review relations with the US, the Obama administration is urging Islamabad to use its “good offices” for the revival of stalled peace dialogue with the Taliban in Qatar.
The talks between the US and Taliban, which were preliminary in nature and focused on exchange of prisoners, broke down in Qatar few days ago when the Obama administration refused to accept the Taliban’s demand for the release of their five important leaders detained at Guantanamo Bay prison.
The Taliban’s decision to suspend talks with the US has badly impacted the Obama administration’s plans for a safe exit from Afghanistan. With no chances of a military win over the Taliban insurgents, Washington is totally relying on a political settlement of the Afghanistan issue, and peace talks with the Taliban are the most important component of its strategy.
The demand for the release of five detainees in return for the freedom for a US soldier held by the Taliban was also a key condition by the Mullah Omar-led militants to hold talks on more contentious issues like the future government in Kabul and the share of Taliban.
The US, which is already being helped and assisted by Germany and Qatar in the resumption of talks with the Taliban, has now started urging Islamabad as well to help Washington to restore stalled talks with the militants.
“The US has requested Pakistan through diplomatic channels to help it in reviving broken talks with the Taliban, and Islamabad is currently looking into that request,” said a Pakistani diplomat on Sunday, seeking anonymity. He, however, said that any development on Pakistan’s possible role in the resumption of US-Taliban talks was possible only after the important joint session of the parliament on Tuesday. Pakistan is holding this joint session to approve the recommendations formulated by the Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS) on new terms of engagement with the US vis-à-vis counter-terrorism cooperation. The session will hold debate on NATO supplies suspended last year in November by Islamabad in a strong reaction to NATO attack on Pakistani border posts, drone strikes and other conflicting matters.
A Pakistani security official, who also sought anonymity, said that full-fledged counter-terrorism cooperation with the US including the restoration of blocked NATO supplies was most likely after the parliament’s joint session.
However, he said that any decision whether Pakistan would use its “good offices” for the resumption of stalled Washington-Taliban talks depended on the outcome of upcoming talks between the senior US military and civilian officials and Pakistani authorities here in the wake of joint parliamentary session.
He said that US CENTCOM chief General James Mattis and American Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman would visit Islamabad for talks on future cooperation with Pakistan soon after the joint session of the parliament.
Pakistan is not under U.S.A to follow and obey its directions.These actions are totally against the charter of U.N.O.america must stop dictation Pakistan on Taliban issue.America has to focus its full attention on its internal affairs,ratherthan to blackmail other countries.Pakistan is not the SLAVE of America.America is not faithful friend and we must not depend on it.Though in Pakistan from its creation,America is doing actively,but the past histry showed that America did not fulfil its promises.Now is the time to kick america from Pakistan.But unluckily our present rulers are pro-american and we cannot expect from america any good faith.america also wants a pure secular government in Pakistan and till now they are successful in thier bloody aims with the help of PPP ,ANP.MQM and other anti-Pakistan elements.Only PML Nawaz can save this country from american invasion and bloody american cultural invasion.Pepole must unite and help Nawaz sharief and strengthen his hands to fight and avoid America from its fully invovlements in Pakistan.
Americans over the years have tried their level best to try to exclude Pakistan altogether from The Afghan Peace Process, but there was zerosum gain in this flawed strategy. Now as The Yankees have come to acknowledge this ground reality, Pakistanis are acting foolish again & keen to come to whatever terms being tabled by Americans. Historically, we have no sense in bargaining & I am sure this time around, we will yet again sccumb to American Pressure on insulting terms!
There is no point in negotiations with Talibans. They won’t ever stop using improvised explosive devices in the region to spread destruction.
I wonder if US would be able to convince the militants to lay down the arms and stop using improvised explosive devices to claim innocent lives.
Things that were once used for domestic purposes are now being used to create improvised explosive devices.
US an Pakistan both need to combine and come up with an effective strategy to stop the making of lethal improvise explosive devices instead of negotiating with the militants.
Comments are closed.