Pakistan and the US have agreed to make efforts for restarting the stalled peace process between the Afghanistan government and Taliban insurgents after a second round of talks were cancelled in July
Pakistan and the US have agreed to make efforts for restarting the stalled peace process between the Afghanistan government and Taliban insurgents after a second round of talks were cancelled in July as the news of Taliban chief Mullah Omar’s death was leaked.
The understanding was reached during the recently concluded trip of Pakistan’s Army chief General Raheel Sharif to Washington, where he met a slew of military and civilian leaders including vice-president Joe Biden.
“There is a sort of agreement that there is a need to move on the Afghan reconciliation thing very quickly depending on the conditions,” a senior diplomatic source was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.
The paper reported that Afghanistan was the focus of General Sharif’s visit, during which he also discussed Pakistan’s strained ties with India, military cooperation, strategic nuclear issues and other regional matters.
“The General quite candidly conveyed his views on the issue, both the political and the strategic perspective, to his interlocutors,” the source said.
General Sharif is believed to have communicated Pakistan’s fears in accepting the facilitation role that it is expected to play for reviving the process.
The Pakistani side is primarily concerned about the Afghan security establishment thwarting a renewed process.
Military spokesperson Lt Gen Asim Bajwa had tweeted that the “requirement of conducive environment for re-initiating Afghan peace process” was emphasised.
Afghan Taliban militants on Saturday kidnapped at least seven members of the minority Shia Hazara community after a dispute over sheep, local authorities said.
Gunmen stopped three buses at dawn between Shah Joy and Qalat in the volatile Zabul province, first taking 17 hostages before releasing nine, local leader Wazir Mohammed Jawadi said.
Mr Jawadi said the gunmen kept eight hostages, all from the Hazara ethnic group, Shias who are known for their striking Central Asian features.
The local chief of police Mirwais Noorzai said that “seven Hazaras are being held hostage”. He said local Taliban leader Mullah Taqwa had ordered the kidnappings because Hazaras allegedly “stole sheep”, adding that Taqwa would release the hostages “if the Hazaras give him back his sheep”.
