June 19, 2020
By Ambassador (R) Mohammad Sadiq; Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan
In a renewed effort to push the stalled Afghan peace process – intra-Afghan dialogue – Pakistan’s special envoy Ambassador Mohammad Sadiq has held a series of detailed meetings in Doha. Diplomatic sources in Islamabad and Doha said Ambassador Sadiq’s face to face meetings with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and other Taliban leaders focused on the future of the reconciliation process, with a view to take the process initiated with the February 29 US-Taliban deal forward.
The Taliban leadership conveyed its commitment to implementation of the 29th February accord and hoped its implementation would pave the way for withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan, officials said.
Mullah Baradar, according to officials, reiterated that the release of 5000 Taliban prisoners would be a definite stepping stone to immediately start the much-awaited Intra Afghan negotiations.
Officials expect President Ghani to announce release of more prisoners to create the enabling environment for dialogue with the Taliban within next 24 hours.
Pakistan has also conveyed to all Afghan stakeholders as well as to the US point man Zalmay Khalilzad it considers Doha a convenient venue for Intra-Afghan Negotiations as long as the Afghan stakeholders prefer it.
Ambassador Sadiq’s Doha visit was the continuation of the recent string of diplomatic activities aimed at reviving the process; soon after Khalilzad’s Islamabad visit early this month, General Qamar Bajwa, COAS held meetings with both President Ghani and Dr.Abdullah Abdullah in Kabul.
While hoping that all parties concerned would sincerely make efforts for reconciliation and peace in Afghanistan, Pakistan has also warned against spoilers – proxy terrorists who have been ratcheting up violence in Afghanistan, particularly the Islamic State of Khorassan – or Daesh.
