Prior to Intra-Afghan dialogue: Taliban rule out talks with India

ISLAMABAD: Taliban have ruled out possibility of talks with India prior to intra-Afghan dialogue believed to be initiated within a week.

Russia proposed India to have talks with Taliban about the future dispensation in Afghanistan and impressed upon New Delhi to offer its role in ensuing talks between various parties in Afghanistan.

The diplomatic sources told The News here on Sunday that breakthrough is likely to take place on the question of intra-Afghan talks that will pave the way for enduring peace through future political system in war-torn country.

The week commencing today (Monday) will witness a number of activities regarding situation in Afghanistan. The rendezvous for intra-Afghan dialogue would be determined in a day as the US Special Representative for Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad has arrived in the region and will visit Islamabad and Kabul early this week. The appointment of distinguished diplomat Muhammad Sadiq Khan as special representative of the Prime Minister on Afghanistan would greatly help in facilitating the process in smooth manner since Sadiq Khan is widely respected in all factions of the Afghan politics, Washington and other relevant parties.

Qatar capital Doha that hosted fruitful talks between Taliban and the United States, could be picked for the intra-Afghan dialogue although some influential quarters in Kabul are opposed to the idea.

Muhammad Sadiq Khan whose appointment has been hailed widely by all concerned will dash to Kabul in a day or two. The diplomatic activities will get underway on large scale as important capitals of the world, which have been actively associated with the situation in Afghanistan, are taking keen interest in intra-Afghan parlays.

Muhammad Sadiq Khan who had served as Pakistan’s Ambassador in Afghanistan and later acted as Secretary of the National Security Secretariat has been quietly associated with the efforts for peaceful settlement of Afghan situation since long. He officially assumed the charge of the Special Representative of the Prime Minister a day earlier.

The sources pointed out that all segments in Afghan affairs including Taliban groups, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and his deputy Abdullah Abdullah have been contacted who have accorded their consent for the talks which could take place next week.

Zalmay Khalilzad is reaching here within three days to join the efforts for intra-Afghan talks. Muhammad Sadiq Khan told The News that he would be leaving for Kabul shortly regarding his mission assigned by the government. He is hopeful that the talks would yield results sooner than expected and it will ensure lasting peace in brotherly country. Muhammad Sadiq Khan is the first Special Representative for Afghanistan designated by Pakistan ever-since Afghan imbroglio surfaced.