Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The government criticizes Pakistan for what it says “has done nothing practically” for direct negotiations with Taliban representatives, despite promises from the United States envoy “peace efforts ongoing to a right direction” and that Pakistan’s measures made hope.
The chief executive office says that officials in Islamabad who met recently Afghan and US representatives only repeated their old promises.
“Pakistan needs to fulfill its commitments to pave the way for the beginning of peace talks. Nothing has been done yet and we demand Zalmay Khalilzad and other US officials to further pressure Pakistan because there is no change in Islamabad’s action despite its foreign minister had commitments during his visit to Kabul,” chief executive spokesman, Feraidoon Khozon said Monday.
He said that Khalilzad did not provided Kabul with the details of his visit to Pakistan, but hoped he would have conveyed Kabul demands over peace to Pakistani authorities.
Khalilzad who has started efforts to help peace process in Afghanistan after being appointed as Trump administration’s envoy for peace process in the war-torn country, went to Islamabad followed by his trips to the United Arab Emirates, India, China and Afghanistan, to encourage Pakistani officials bring Taliban to the negotiating table. Both US and Afghanistan believe that Pakistan could play a crucial role as it harbors Taliban leaders and has influence on them.
Taliban have repeatedly rejected requests from the US and regional powers to hold talks with government of Afghanistan, as they call it a US puppet that was not capable to meet their demands.
Meanwhile, members of parliament are optimistic to Khalilzad’s efforts for peace process, saying that Pakistan has no chance except to help the Afghan peace process.
“Pakistan is now in a bad political and economic situation. If the international community continues pressures on Pakistan, I am confident that Pakistan will change its stance as it is a state of dealing,” said lawmaker Nader Khan Katawazi.
Separately, Rostam Shah Mohmand, then Pakistan’s ambassador to Kabul said that his country was worried about the Indian presence in Afghanistan, so is less interested in Afghan security.
