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Growing cooperation between Pakistan, Afghanistan raises hopes for peace Xinhua
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s close security cooperation with Afghanistan is raising prospects for the start of peace talks with the Taliban, at a time when concerns are growing about a possible increase in violence as the weather warms up in the country. The vast majority of Afghans strongly believe that Pakistan can play a key role to encourage the Afghan Taliban to come to the negotiating table, however, the years of mistrust have had a negative impact on their cooperation. Both countries paused playing the blame game since President Ashraf Ghani was inaugurated in September. Kabul had long been asking Islamabad to use its influence on the Afghan Taliban to find out a political solution to the problem. The Taliban insurgents had previously rejected the possibility of peace talks with the new Afghan government, but they are now seemingly under mounting pressure to join the intra-Afghan dialogue, an Afghan Taliban official, privy to the developments, said. They say Pakistan has played an important role in encouraging face-to-face talks between the Taliban and the new government in Kabul and “share their demands” for a negotiated settlement. Afghanistan has also for the first time realized Pakistan’s role and President Ashraf Ghani on Friday hailed Pakistan’s move to cooperate in the reconciliation process amid reports that the Taliban have indicated a willingness to begin peace talks. The Afghan embassy in Islamabad re-quoted a statement from the Presidential Palace which said that Afghanistan “respects Pakistan ‘s recent efforts for peace and reconciliation.” The remarks came after Pakistan army chief, General Raheel Sharif, met President Ghani in Kabul on Tuesday for the third time since November and apprised him of Islamabad’s efforts to push for reconciliation in Afghanistan. Afghan leaders are now apparently upbeat about Pakistan’s cooperation in the peace efforts that have raised high hopes for long-awaited talks with the Taliban. “The reported progress and the messages were positive, reflecting the commitment of Pakistan. The results of these efforts will become clearer in the coming weeks,” the Presidential Palace stated after President Ghani and General Raheel met. Pakistani officials say the country had played the role of facilitator in the opening of the Taliban political office in Qatar in 2013 and has also freed nearly 50 senior Afghan Taliban leaders at the request of the Afghan High Peace Council. It is widely believed in Pakistan that a series of deadly attacks recently by Taliban insurgents have brought the two countries much closer. The brutal attacks on the army school in Pakistan’s Peshawar in December and Paktika’s Yahya Khel district, particularly, paved the way for deeper security cooperation. The school attack killed 150, nearly all children, and 45 people were killed in the suicide attack in a volleyball match in Paktika in November 2014. Pakistani and Afghan leaders all concur that peace and stability in both countries are inextricably linked, as instability in one country directly affects the other. The Foreign Ministry on Friday reiterated its offer to help in the Afghan peace process but wants Kabul to take the initiative. “We believe it is for the Afghan government to lead the efforts for reconciliation in Afghanistan. Any reconciliation process has to be Afghan-led and Afghan-owned,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tasnim Aslam said. “Pakistan, as a neighbor and as a country that has vital stakes in peace and stability in Afghanistan, is ready to provide whatever assistance we can. We are ready to facilitate the reconciliation process to the highest extent possible,” she told her weekly briefing.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk