ANP wants all stakeholders on board for Afghan peace

PESHAWAR: The Central Working Committee of the Awami National Party (ANP) on Sunday observed that the main stakeholders in the Afghan peace process had been ignored in the talks.

It asked all countries, including Pakistan, to work for making the peace in Afghanistan a reality. The committee in its meeting passed resolutions about resolving Afghanistan and Kashmir issues. The committee said that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani’s displeasure suggested that the Afghan government was not onboard during the talks.

It said both parties to the Afghan dispute must be taken into confidence. The resolution about Kashmir said that the issue should be resolved by implementing the United Nations resolutions and Shimla agreement.

The meeting also passed resolutions about the law and order and economic situation of the country. Meanwhile, Awami National Party (ANP) President Asfandyar Wali Khan on Sunday expressed dismay at the United States decision to cancel peace talks with Taliban.

“President Donald Trump decision to cancel the Afghan negotiation process will worsen the situation.It would have disappointed the Afghans who had attached expectations to the peace talks,” said the ANP chief while commenting on the development.

Giving his reaction through his Twitter account, the ANP chief said the solution to the Afghanistan issue lies only in talks. “War is no solution to problems. The civilized people talk out issues,” he went on to add.

Asfandyar Wali Khan said it seemed as if the Afghan government was not part of the talks which had been cancelled. Even the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had put off his visit during which he was supposed to meet his American counterpart.

The ANP chief said a surge in violent activities during the peace negotiations triggered concerns as well, but the context in which Donald Trump cancelled the talks was different. He called for creating an environment where all the stakeholders, including Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States are on the same page. “The Taliban will have to be bound they would not carry out any violent activities during the new round of the peace talks,” he added.