ISLAMABAD: The
Afghan Taliban on Wednesday confirmed a
visit of its leaders to
Pakistan but said they are discussing the issue of
Afghan refugees, the release of a senior leader and other prisoners.
The
Taliban Qatar ****** did **t say whether the delegation will discuss the peace process. A three-member delegation had arrived in Islamabad from its Qatar-based ****** on Monday to discuss with
Pakistan the possibility of the peace talks, diplomatic and official sources had said.
The
Afghan officials in Kabul had earlier stated they are aware of the
visit but ** meeting with the
Taliban in
Pakistan was planned. “Since the
Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with neighboring country
Pakistan and a large number of our countrymen are living there as refugees, therefore, the Political ****** of the Islamic Emirate has decided to send a high level delegation to Islamabad,” the
Taliban Qatar ****** said.
The
Taliban use the name of Islamic Emirate they had used during their rule (1996-2001). “The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding
Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners with the officials of the government of Pakistan.”
Mullah Baradar, the former second-in-command in the
Taliban hierarchy, was arrested in Karachi in 2010; and the
Taliban say he has **t yet been freed.
Pakistan had said in 2013 that he had been released along with some 50 senior
Taliban leaders in 2013 on the request by then
Afghan President Hamid Karzai. A
Taliban statement said the
visit to
Pakistan “would be in the interest of both countries and would have fruitful results.” Although the
Taliban statement did **t mention the delegation will discuss the possibility of the group’s participation in the peace negotiations, sources say it is one of the topics they are discussing in Pakistan.
Some sources say that a meeting between the
Taliban and the representatives of the
Afghan govt was scheduled in Islamabad on April 27; however, the
Afghan diplomatic sources said Kabul is **t in the loop about the visit.
Pakistan had hosted the first face-to-face meeting between the
Taliban and the
Afghan government in July last year near Islamabad. The talks – dubbed as the Murree Peace Process – broke down after the death of Mullah Omar was confirmed in late July. The delegation includes Maulvi Shahabuddin Dilawar, a former diplomat in Islamabad, and Jan Muhammad Madni, who has served as the
Afghan ambassador to the UAE during the
Taliban and Maulvi Nek Muhammad a member of the Taliban’s leadership council and a long time member of their negotiation team.
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