Afghan Taliban confirms meeting Pakistani officials in Islamabad: report

• Pakistan tells US to chalk out a clear policy whether it wants to resolve Afghan dispute by force or dialogue

The Afghan Taliban group has formally confirmed a meeting between the group’s Qatar office delegation and Pakistani officials in Islamabad, reported Khamar News on Wednesday.

The delegation, comprising five leaders, including Shababuddin Dilawar and Malawi Rasool, came from Qatar to explore prospects of resuming talks, the report quoted Dawn News as saying.

Without disclosing much detail, the statement issued by the group said that the group favours political settlement to end the ongoing violence in the country. The news agency, however, reported that the Taliban refused to hold talks with the Afghan government; they were willing to sit on the table with the US though.

It reported: “They [Pakistan officials] have said the Taliban remained unmoved [on an offer to engage in talks with Afghan government]. They are sticking to their past stance. They want to negotiate with the US through the Qatar Office, but refused to negotiate with the Afghan government.”

This comes as Pakistani officials said last week that the Taliban group is not prepared to hold talks with the government as reports indicate that the Taliban supreme leader Mullah Hebatullah Akhundzada has sent a delegation to Islamabad to explore ways for reviving peace talks.

In a separate development, Pakistan again sought clarity relating to President Donald Trump’s new Afghan policy, insisting that the Trump administration needs to chalk out a clear policy whether it wants to resolve the Afghan dispute by force or through dialogue, reported a local media outlet. 

Pakistan reasserted that the administration wouldn’t be able to establish peace in the country by employing both the options simultaneously, adding that reconciliation is the key to resolve the conflict. As the US eyes mending ties with Pakistan following a series of tirades, it told the US that the country will play the due role to achieve regional peace; however, its national interests would remain priority.

“As a result of the ongoing contacts, a four-nation group for restoring talks between the Kabul government and the Taliban, may come into being.”

Backdoor contacts are ongoing between all stakeholders in Afghanistan, but a breakthrough is not expected soon, the outlet reported.