US and Taliban sign historic troop withdrawal deal in Doha

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: A delegation from Taliban’s Qatar- based political office is reaching here on Wednesday (today) on a three-day trip for consultations on ongoing Afghan peace process.
The delegation led by Taliban’s deputy chief for political affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Barader will meet Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi during its stay in Islamabad.

The visit is taking place on Pakistan government’s invitation, a Taliban spokesman said.

A 20-day break in intra-Afghan negotiations and coming transition in the United States form the backdrop of Taliban’s latest visit to Islamabad.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

Afghan government and Taliban negotiators have taken the break to consult their principals on the negotiations on the agenda of the talks.

Meanwhile, the change at the White House next month, intensified fighting in Afghanistan and lack of clarity about the next venue for the talks have inserted an element of uncertainty into the process.

Taliban delegation’s visit follows closely on the heels of a trip by US Special Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad to Islamabad on Monday.

The anxiety in Washington about the break was obvious from the envoy’s social media messages.

Amb Khalilzad, after his arrival in Islamabad, tweeted: “Tragically, the war continues. The need for a political settlement, reduction in violence, and a ceasefire remain urgent.”

“Given how much is at stake, it is imperative that there is no delays in resumption of talks and they must resume on Jan 5 as agreed,” he said in another tweet.

Pakistan this year not only helped the US and Taliban sign their agreement, but also facilitated the start of intra-Afghan negotiations and more lately the agreement on rules and procedures for the dialogue.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, during his visit to Kabul last month, assured the Afghan leadership of Pakistan’s cooperation for reduction in violence in Afghanistan. He told President Ashraf Ghani that “we will do whatever is within our reach”.

Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa in his meeting with Amb Khalilzad assured him of Pakistan’s continued support for efforts for regional peace and stability.

Published in Dawn, December 16th, 2020

 

[MenInG]

The United Nations has acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the Pakistan government against elements involved in terrorist activities, while noting that the threat from the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had resulted in over "100 cross-border attacks within three months last year", in a new report, it emerged on Sunday.

The report, dated February 3, is the 27th report to the UN Security Council by the UN monitoring team responsible for tracking terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and ISIS. The report acknowledged the efforts of Pakistan in arresting "individuals engaging in terrorism financing" and clamping down on the assets of said designated "individuals and entities".

The report also addressed the activities of the TTP and noted the “reunification of splinter groups [of TTP]" in Afghanistan as a point of concern. “Five entities pledged alliance to [the] TTP in July and August [2020], including the Shehryar Mehsud group, Jamaatul Ahrar (JuA), Hizbul Ahrar, the Amjad Farooqi group and the Usman Saifullah group [formerly known as Lashkar-e- Jhangvi].”

The report cautioned that the aforementioned reunification "enhanced the threat of terrorism" to not only Pakistan but the entire region since it has "increased the strength of [the] TTP and resulted in a sharp increase in attacks”.


"TTP was responsible for more than 100 cross-border attacks between July and October 2020," stated the report and further estimated the TTP's fighting strength to range from 2,500 and 6,000 members.

'India's hand'
Pakistan handed over a dossier last year to UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on the Indian sponsorship of TTP and JuA. Both terrorist groups have been designated by the 1267 Sanctions Committee of the Security Council.

“We knew of India’s hand in such attacks,” Pakistan’s envoy to the UN Munir Akram had said at a press conference after handing over the dossier to the UN secretary-general. “We now have gathered irrefutable evidence that India is engaged in a systematic campaign to destabilise Pakistan through terrorist attacks, promotion of secession and subversion in what is called Hybrid/5th generation war.”

India, he said, was also seeking to utilise UNSC mechanisms to defame Pakistan by portraying itself as a victim of terrorism. “It is abusing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to damage Pakistan’s economy.”

Since 2014, Pakistan has lost 83,000 civilians and soldiers in the fight against terrorism, which also caused a massive setback to the country’s economic and social development — to the tune of $126 billion.

While Pakistan has successfully eradicated terrorist outfits from its soil, over the past few months cross-border terrorist attacks from ungoverned spaces in Afghanistan have escalated.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Does anyone really think that the Biden administration will follow through with this?

 

[sweep_shot]

Afghanistan's Ghani sees 'window of opportunity' for peace process

Afghanistan's president says there is a "window of opportunity to accelerate the peace process" following Nato's announcement that it has made no final decision on withdrawing troops.

Ashraf Ghani made the comments in an exclusive interview with the BBC.

The Nato military alliance has close to 10,000 troops in the war-torn country. Under a US-Taliban deal, they were due to be withdrawn by May, after 20 years.

But there are concerns that Taliban violence could intensify.

Mr Ghani told the BBC's Lyse Doucet that Nato's announcement provided an opportunity for "all parties to the conflict to recalculate and reach a conclusion that we've long reached, that use of force is not the solution".

"We must reach a political settlement," he said.

He added that there needed to be a "concerted effort" internationally "to send signals that certain types of behaviour are unacceptable".

The Afghan president would not be drawn on how many foreign troops were needed, or for how long, saying it "depends on the intensity of the war".

US President Joe Biden is currently reviewing the deal struck by his predecessor. While most foreign troops now in Afghanistan are not US forces, the Nato operation could find it hard to continue if American support was withdrawn.

The current US presence in Afghanistan dates back to 2001 when soldiers invaded to remove the Taliban from power, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. But the movement regrouped and by 2018 was active in more than two-thirds of the country, threatening the elected government.

Mr Ghani, who was shut out of the US-Taliban deal, told the BBC he was "delighted" with his relationship with the new US administration, and a new "coherence" among the international community's approach to Afghanistan's future.

"The force of coherence is what I'm counting on to avoid the tragedies. There's so many fears of collapse into civil war," he said, acknowledging that both sides were preparing for warfare.

But he dismissed fears of a Taliban military victory. "This is not Vietnam. The government is not collapsing."

His comments came amid stalled peace talks between the two sides and high levels of violence in the country.

But Mr Ghani still said the context was "one of hope, not one of despair".

The Afghan leader is now facing growing calls for an interim government to bring the Taliban into power and avoid a descent into chaos and a possible civil war.

He said his five-year term mattered less than peace, but insisted "the future will be determined by the people of Afghanistan, not by somebody sitting behind the desk, dreaming".

He said hard decisions and sacrifices lie ahead on all sides in a year where peace would be won or lost.

"From our side, we have a sense of urgency, we're willing to make the hard decisions, and there are going to be hard decisions required. Forty years of violence in this country is enough," he said.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56144795.

 

[the Great Khan]

Does anyone really think that the Biden administration will follow through with this?

if they dont matters may get taken out of their hands. They need to ensure that they can continue to keep an eye on China Russia and Pakistan so they may turn to india to allow american troops the opportunity to "advise" and "train" Indian forces in the north thus allowing a continuous rotation and presence in the area. They could station about 500-800 troops in various guises in India plus some more in rotations in afghanistan. So say about 500-800 in afghanistan as trainers and advisors. coupled with a few hundred "contractors". If they split things up like this and use the media to say "look we've reduced our footprint from 2500 to 500 it may placate the taliban.

The americans will have to make some hard choices but I think they will do so. Otherwise China Russia and pakistan are already making interconnectivity moves.

The US will come to offer something to Pakistan to. Nothing amazing but just something to help placate the govt.

They have many options to monitor and engage without needing massive numbers of troops on the ground so I expect a tough negotiation but ultimately something for everyone.

India can be placated if they agree to american advisors on their soil, the chinese can be placated by the reduced footprint on the ground in afghanistan , same for Pakistan and the taliban. The the US can send major companies into afghanistan (with CIA embedded agents), help with consultancy and NGO's.

They could potentially keep the same numbers but in various different capacities.

 

[sweep_shot]

Afghanistan conflict: US warns of new Taliban 'spring offensive'

The Taliban could make rapid military gains across Afghanistan when American and Nato troops pull out, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has warned.

Under a deal between the Taliban and the previous Trump administration, all remaining US forces are due to leave the country by the end of next month.

But in a letter to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Mr Blinken has warned of a possible new "spring offensive".

US soldiers invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to remove the Taliban from power.

The American military operation was in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

In January, the Biden administration said it would review the peace agreement made with the Taliban during Donald Trump's presidency.

Under the deal, the remaining 10,000 US-led Nato forces in the country are due to pull out by 1 May in exchange for Taliban security guarantees.

The White House has now said that it wants to make sure the Afghan militant group is "living up to its commitments", including reducing violence and cutting ties with terrorists, before withdrawing.

Levels of violence in the country remain high - with journalists, activists, politicians and women judges among those killed in targeted assassinations.

In Mr Blinken's letter, obtained by the BBC on Sunday, the US secretary of state calls for a 90-day reduction in violence in Afghanistan and a new international peace effort - overseen by the UN - to help reach a "permanent and comprehensive ceasefire".

This, he warns, is urgently needed to prevent the security situation from deteriorating further.

The UN will be asked to convene a meeting of foreign ministers and envoys of regional powers, the letter says, adding that Turkey would be the venue for a high-level meeting between the Taliban and the Afghan government.

The BBC's chief international correspondent, Lyse Doucet, says the letter underscores Washington's efforts to find a peaceful resolution to America's longest war.

Mr Blinken is stepping up pressure on President Ghani and the Taliban as the US looks to avoid the spectre of a chaotic civil war - even the collapse of the Afghan capital, Kabul - in the wake of its pull-out, our correspondent adds.

As peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban remain stalled, President Ghani on Saturday urged the militant group to renounce violence and to consider holding fresh negotiations.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-56316649.

 

[Last Monetarist]

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-peace/afghan-government-to-attend-both-u-s-and-russia-backed-peace-conferences-idUSKBN2B50B7

The Afghan government said on Saturday it would participate in two separate U.S.- and Russian-backed peace conferences in the coming weeks.

The Russian-backed conference is scheduled for March 18, while the U.S.-sponsored one will take place in Turkey next month, officials said.

Peace negotiations between the Afghan government and the insurgent Taliban in Qatar’s capital Doha have largely stalled.

“The Afghan government will take part in both the Moscow and Turkey conferences,” Hamdullah Mohib, the country’s national security council advisor told reporters in Kabul.

Mohammed Naeem, a spokesman for the Taliban, told Reuters it had received an invitation from Moscow, but had not yet decided whether to attend or not. The Taliban has not made any comment about the proposed meeting in Turkey.

It comes at a crunch time for the peace process as a May 1 deadline for foreign troops to withdraw from Afghanistan looms and the United States reviews its military commitments.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a letter to President Ashraf Ghani earlier this month made a new urgent push for a United Nations-led peace effort and asked Turkey to host a senior-level meeting of “both sides in the coming weeks to finalize a peace agreement.”

Blinken wrote to Afghan leaders that the United States is “considering the full withdrawal of forces by May 1st as we consider other options”.

Russia plans to hold a conference on Afghanistan in Moscow on March 18 and has invited several regional players, including Afghan government and politicians to jumpstart the peace process as Washington’s diplomacy ramps up.

 

[MenInG]

The Taliban has threatened to resume hostilities against foreign troops in Afghanistan if they did not meet the May 1 deadline to withdraw.

If the May 1 deadline was not met, the Taliban would be “compelled to … continue its Jihad and armed struggle against foreign forces to liberate its country”, the group said in a statement on Friday.

The armed group’s threat followed comments by US President Joe Biden, who on Thursday said it would be hard to withdraw the last US troops by the deadline, which was agreed with Washington last year.

“It’s not my intention to stay there for a long time,” Biden said, “We will leave. The question is when we leave.” When asked if US troops will still be in Afghanistan next year, he said, ”I can’t picture that being the case.”

The Taliban said it was committed to the agreement, which it termed the “most sensible and shortest path” to end the conflict.

Responsibility for its prolongation “will be on the shoulders of those who committed this violation,” the statement said.

Under the February 2020 deal negotiated by Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump’s administration, the US promised to withdraw all 2,500 US troops left in Afghanistan.

In return, the Taliban pledged to renounce violence, prevent groups such as al-Qaeda from using Afghanistan as a base from which to attack US and allied targets and enter into intra-Afghan peace talks.

Yet violence continues to plague the South Asian country, including a recent rise in killings of journalists, aid workers and government employees.

More than 100,000 Afghans have been killed or wounded since 2009 when the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan began documenting casualties.

Since 2002, the US has spent $143bn on reconstruction in Afghanistan, including $88bn for training and support of the Afghan army.

Biden, like his predecessor, has promised to end the nearly 20-year conflict, the US’s longest, and bring American soldiers back to the country.

Roughly 7,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan rely on the US for logistics and security support.

Earlier this week, Germany paved the way for its troops to stay in Afghanistan beyond the May 1 deadline. Legislators approved a new mandate which allows the German military to keep up to 1,300 soldiers in Afghanistan as part of a NATO mission until January 31, 2022.

The current parliamentary mandate for the German operation expires at the end of March.

The German government has warned that a premature withdrawal of NATO troops could jeopardise the intra-Afghan peace talks, adding that NATO troops would need to prepare for Taliban violence if they stay beyond the end of April.

AL Jazeera

 

[MenInG]

The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday urged all neighbouring countries to not allow bases of foreign armies – withdrawing from Afghanistan – and said it would "be a great and historic mistake and a disgrace" if they are allowed to do so.

“Recently, various media outlets quoted well-known sources as saying that the United States wants to stay in our neighbourhood after withdrawing from Afghanistan in order to carry out operations in our country," said a statement from the spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban.

He added that due to the sensitivity of the issue, the 'Islamic Emirate' wants to clarify its position in advance and share it with all.

“The foreign forces in the region are the root cause of insecurity and war and the great tragedy that everyone has witnessed in the last twenty years, especially our afflicted people, more than anyone else,” he maintained.

The spokesperson further stated that if such a step is taken again, it will be a great and historic mistake and a disgrace, the message of which will go down in history.

“The Muslim and Mujahids of Afghanistan will not remain silent in the face of such heinous and provocative acts,” he said, adding “Rather, they will fulfil their religious and historical responsibilities in the same way as they have throughout history," warned the spokesperson.

Furthermore, the Taliban representative added that they have repeatedly assured others that Afghan soil will not be used against any other country, while also urging others not to use their soil and airspace against Afghanistan.

“If such a step is taken, then the responsibility for all the misfortunes and difficulties lies with the person who commits such mistakes,” the statement read.

Earlier on Sunday Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters in a provincial capital about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Kabul, officials and witnesses said, prompting the defence minister to take charge of the counteroffensive.

Violence has soared in Afghanistan since US forces began their final pull-out on May 1, as the insurgents press on with a campaign to seize new territory.

Fierce fighting erupted on the edge of Mihtarlam, a city of around 140,000 people and the capital of Laghman province.

At one point Defence Minister Yasin Zia took personal charge in the field, officials said.

The ministry said at least 50 Taliban fighters were killed in overnight fighting.

The uptick in fighting around Kabul is stirring memories of Afghanistan's descent into civil war in the 1990s following the Soviet army's withdrawal when militias choked off key routes into the capital and piled pressure on security forces until the government collapsed.

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday urged all neighbouring countries to not allow bases of foreign armies – withdrawing from Afghanistan – and said it would "be a great and historic mistake and a disgrace" if they are allowed to do so.

“Recently, various media outlets quoted well-known sources as saying that the United States wants to stay in our neighbourhood after withdrawing from Afghanistan in order to carry out operations in our country," said a statement from the spokesperson of the Afghan Taliban.

He added that due to the sensitivity of the issue, the 'Islamic Emirate' wants to clarify its position in advance and share it with all.

“The foreign forces in the region are the root cause of insecurity and war and the great tragedy that everyone has witnessed in the last twenty years, especially our afflicted people, more than anyone else,” he maintained.

The spokesperson further stated that if such a step is taken again, it will be a great and historic mistake and a disgrace, the message of which will go down in history.

“The Muslim and Mujahids of Afghanistan will not remain silent in the face of such heinous and provocative acts,” he said, adding “Rather, they will fulfil their religious and historical responsibilities in the same way as they have throughout history," warned the spokesperson.

Furthermore, the Taliban representative added that they have repeatedly assured others that Afghan soil will not be used against any other country, while also urging others not to use their soil and airspace against Afghanistan.

“If such a step is taken, then the responsibility for all the misfortunes and difficulties lies with the person who commits such mistakes,” the statement read.

Earlier on Sunday Afghan forces clashed with Taliban fighters in a provincial capital about 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Kabul, officials and witnesses said, prompting the defence minister to take charge of the counteroffensive.

Violence has soared in Afghanistan since US forces began their final pull-out on May 1, as the insurgents press on with a campaign to seize new territory.

Fierce fighting erupted on the edge of Mihtarlam, a city of around 140,000 people and the capital of Laghman province.

At one point Defence Minister Yasin Zia took personal charge in the field, officials said.

The ministry said at least 50 Taliban fighters were killed in overnight fighting.

The uptick in fighting around Kabul is stirring memories of Afghanistan's descent into civil war in the 1990s following the Soviet army's withdrawal when militias choked off key routes into the capital and piled pressure on security forces until the government collapsed.

I don't get USA strategy here. I do know Americans are hypocrites and they have no interest in stability and peace for Afghanistan but why are they getting out if they want to stay in neighborhood as the world police?

 

[mazkhan]

I don't get USA strategy here. I do know Americans are hypocrites and they have no interest in stability and peace for Afghanistan but why are they getting out if they want to stay in neighborhood as the world police?

Don't blame the Americans blame our military establishment who let them in

Taliban have at least stayed true to their principles unlike our establishment who wants to have its feet in many boats as possible.

If usa leaves , pakistsn should not give no bases or access or allow military aircraft to use our airspace and then attack targets in Afghanistan, hope the pakistani generals have some sense and close this involvement of afghan war we can't afford such a hostile nation on our borders when our generals have also allied with china , its either one or the other and the Americans only bring death and destruction .

 

[WhenSultansBowled]

Don't blame the Americans blame our military establishment who let them in

Taliban have at least stayed true to their principles unlike our establishment who wants to have its feet in many boats as possible.

If usa leaves , pakistsn should not give no bases or access or allow military aircraft to use our airspace and then attack targets in Afghanistan, hope the pakistani generals have some sense and close this involvement of afghan war we can't afford such a hostile nation on our borders when our generals have also allied with china , its either one or the other and the Americans only bring death and destruction .

In an ideal world all these generals/decision makers who signed the deal with the devil should be thrown in jail.

Alongside USA; Nato and Taliban; these so called "military establishment" people also got blood of Afghans and Pakistanis on their hands.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Don't blame the Americans blame our military establishment who let them in

Taliban have at least stayed true to their principles unlike our establishment who wants to have its feet in many boats as possible.

If usa leaves , pakistsn should not give no bases or access or allow military aircraft to use our airspace and then attack targets in Afghanistan, hope the pakistani generals have some sense and close this involvement of afghan war we can't afford such a hostile nation on our borders when our generals have also allied with china , its either one or the other and the Americans only bring death and destruction .

If Pakistan wanted to stay true to those principles, they might well have ended up getting bombed to the stone ages as well. There wouldn't be any military hardware left, USA would have looked to destroy Pakistan's air force and military installations.

Perhaps they could have played it different, but other than threatening to nuke Israel, I'm not really sure they had much leeway.

 

[MenInG]

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Three bombs rattled the Afghan capital Kabul late Tuesday killing at least 10 people and plunging the city into darkness, an Afghan government spokesman said.

Two bombs exploded in quick succession in separate locations of a west Kabul neighborhood, killing at least 10 people and wounding a dozen others, said deputy Interior Ministry spokesman Said Hamid Rushan.

A third bomb heavily damaged an electrical grid station in north Kabul, said Sangar Niazai, a spokesman for the government power supply department.

The initial two bombings, both targeting minivans, happened in a mostly ethnic Hazara area of the capital, said Rushan.

The first exploded near the home of a prominent Hazara leader, Mohammad Mohaqiq, and in front of a Shiite mosque. Most Hazaras are Shiites. The second bomb also targeted a minivan but Rushan said details were still being collected.

Police cordoned off the two areas and investigators were sifting through the rubble.

No one claimed responsibility for the bombings but the Islamic State group affiliate operating in Afghanistan has previously declared war on minority Shiites, who make up roughly 20% of the majority Sunni Muslim nation of 36 million people.

The IS affiliate previously took responsibility for several attacks in May on Afghanistan’s power supply stations in Kabul and in several other provinces.

On May 8, a car bomb and two roadside bombs exploded outside the Syed-al-Shahada girls school, also in a predominantly Hazara neighborhood, killing nearly 90 people, many of them students. No one has yet claimed that attack but the U.S. blamed IS.

The attacks come as the United States wraps up its longest war by withdrawing the last of its 2,500-3,500 troops along with 7,000 allied NATO forces. The last soldiers are to be gone by Sept. 11 at the latest generating fears of increased chaos in a country already deeply insecure.

Violence has escalated in Afghanistan even as the United States struck a peace deal with the Taliban in February 2020 under the previous Trump administration.

The agreement called for the last of the U.S. and NATO troops to be out of the country by May 1. Instead, the withdrawal began on May 1 after U.S. President Joe Biden announced in mid-April America was ending its “forever war.” At the time, he declared terrorist groups like al-Qaida and the Islamic State had been sufficiently degraded and it was no longer necessary to keep thousands of troops deployed to Afghanistan.

Stalemated peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are set to resume in the Middle Eastern country of Qatar, said a member of the Afghan government negotiation team, Nader Nadery.

The two sides have been meeting off and on since Sept. 12 but progress has been slight.

“I do not see any sign yet of meaningful talks from the Taliban on key issues to end this senseless war,” said Nadery.

https://apnews.com/article/islamic-state-group-kabul-ea33674c5db415c9a43d993e02fcfbba

 

[OMB]

Taliban says security of airports, embassies to be 'Afghan responsibility'

Foreign forces should hold 'no hope' of keeping a military presence in Afghanistan after the US and NATO withdraw troops, the Taliban said Saturday, warning the security of embassies and airports would be the responsibility of Afghans.

It comes as western diplomats and military officials scramble to work out how to provide security for any future civilian presence they keep in the country.

Turkey has reportedly said it is prepared to keep troops in Afghanistan to protect Kabul airport, the main exit route for western diplomats and humanitarian workers.

"Every inch of Afghan soil, its airports and security of foreign embassies and diplomatic offices is the responsibility of the Afghans, consequently no one should hold out hope of keeping military or security presence in our country," a statement issued by the Taliban on Saturday said.

"If anyone does make such a mistake, the Afghan people and the Islamic Emirate shall view them as occupiers and shall take a stance against them," it added.

The United States is in the final stages of completing a military drawdown, alongside NATO forces, by September 11 -- twenty years after they invaded Afghanistan and toppled the Taliban.

The decision to end America's longest war has raised fears that an emboldened Taliban could topple the Western-backed government in Kabul.

The possibility of keeping troops in Afghanistan is expected to be discussed during a meeting of NATO leaders in Brussels on Monday.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last month the alliance would provide funding to help run Kabul airport and train Afghanistan's special forces after it had left.

Turkish media later reported that Ankara was willing to maintain a presence in the country, including at the country's main gateway, if NATO provided financial support.

The Taliban has attempted to calm foreign missions by saying they could "continue their operations as usual", after Australia closed its embassy citing an "increasingly uncertain security environment".

The militants have in recent weeks made territorial gains in and around the country, including in provinces close to the capital.

On Saturday, at least seven civilians were killed in two separate explosions in the city, the Interior Ministry said, the latest in a series of bombings targeting buses.

https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-says-security-of-airports-embassies-to-be-afghan-responsibility-391158

 

[OMB]

Pakistan will not take responsibility if blamed for deteriorating Afghan peace: Qureshi

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday said that Pakistan would not take responsibility if it was blamed for any deterioration in the Afghan peace process.

Addressing the inaugural session of the Pak-Afghan Bilateral Dialogue in Islamabad, the foreign minister said Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and a core group would reportedly be travelling to Washington soon.

"I wish them luck and a good visit but let me spell it down in advance. If the objective of going to Washington is starting a new blame game and holding Pakistan responsible for all the ills [in Afghanistan] and the lack of [progress in the peace] process, then it will not help.

"It is a shared responsibility and nobody is going to buy it anymore that if things go wrong [then] Pakistan is responsible. We will not take responsibility," said the foreign minister, adding that Pakistan was "honest and sincere" in building a peace process in Afghanistan.

"We have been accused enough."

He said it was up to Afghans to decide the way forward for the country and find people who could do that. "Afghanistan needs leadership that can negotiate a successful outcome [and] that can transit this country into peace and is not worried about perpetuation [and] hanging on to power."

Qureshi stressed that Pakistan wanted to partner with Afghanistan, the region and the US to counter terrorism, adding that Pakistan had suffered and "paid a price" in lives lost, soldiers martyred, mosques bombed and loss to the economy.

"I as the elected representative of Pakistan, do not want to see 'Talibanisation' of Pakistan. How can I be more clear than that?," said FM Qureshi, adding that his vision of the country was based on the values advocated by Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

He said Pakistan had taken a "very clear decision" to not interfere in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.

"We have no favourites, There is a general buzz that we are advocates of the Taliban. I am not and I don't represent them, I represent Pakistan. Taliban are Afghans," the foreign minister emphasised.

He said multiple Afghan leaders from "every ethnic group" had been invited to Islamabad to send the clear message that Pakistan wanted to engage with all ethnic communities and leaders "who matter and are important for peace and reconciliation".

"That is why we have been inviting you and will continue to invite your leadership to achieve our common objective of peace and stability."

FM Qureshi stressed that "time is running out" and there was a need to find leadership which enjoyed the confidence of Afghans. He urged the Afghan leadership and the Taliban to show flexibility, adding that the region would go nowhere if they continued to stick to their positions.

Qureshi said Pakistan and Prime Minister Imran Khan had been advocating for years that there was no military solution to the Afghan conflict.

He recalled that the prime minister had been called 'Taliban Khan' by many for his stance but the world was now recognising what he said and agreeing with him that the only solution was a negotiated settlement.

He said there was a "new international convergence" on the stance since the world had seen in 20 years that the most "sophisticated armies, weaponry and technology" could not bring peace in Afghanistan.

Regarding vindication of Pakistan's stance, Qureshi said he had seen a "very positive change" during his interactions with US legislators last month. "Today in the US we are looking at Pakistan not as part of the problem but part of the solution," he said, quoting US Senator Lindsey Graham, hailing it as a "paradigm shift in [US] approach”.

The foreign minister reiterated that a "blame game" between Afghanistan and Pakistan would not achieve anything and called for it to stop. He said among some of the impediments he saw were a lack of intra-Afghan trust and a "trust deficit between Pakistan and Afghanistan".

Qureshi stressed there was a need to "forget the past and look at the future". He said Pakistan was committed to building bridges instead of "sowing seeds of dissent".

"Trust us when we say that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan is in Pakistan's interest."

He said he was concerned and disappointed by statements from the Afghan vice president and national security adviser, adding that statements which vitiated the climate between the two countries went against the spirit of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity.

He also responded to accusations that elements in Pakistan were involved in instigating trouble in Afghanistan through cross-border movement. Qureshi said Pakistan was doing "everything possible" for better border management.

"Hold me accountable when all my Afghan brothers and sisters have honourably returned home and then if there are movements and there is trouble [in Afghanistan], we will shoulder responsibility."

He reiterated that the "time has come for a honourable and dignified return of Afghan refugees [back to their] home."

The foreign minister also addressed the important role of women in Afghanistan and said they couldn't be overlooked, adding that he was proud of the women excelling in various fields in Pakistan as well.

"Twenty years is a long time and reforms have taken place. The Afghanistan of today is not the Afghanistan which was 20 years ago. The role of women in Afghan national life is extremely important."

He emphasised that there was a new situation of "complete withdrawal" of US and allied forces from Afghanistan which had given rise to many concerns such as an increase in violence, a stalemate in negotiations, an increase in influx of refugees [to Pakistan], the expanding footprint of militant outfits and a possibility of civil war if there was no peace settlement.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1629302/pakistan-will-not-take-responsibility-if-blamed-for-deteriorating-afghan-peace-qureshi

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Twenty-one years after his assassination, the federal government intends to name a road in Islamabad after Afghan commander Ahmed Shah Massoud.

Sources in the federal government said recently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had taken up the plan with the Ministry of Interior, which is the line ministry of the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The sources said in February this year Ahmed Wali Massoud, a brother of the late Afghan leader, had requested Prime Minister Imran Khan to name a street in Islamabad after Ahmed Shah Massoud. The prime minister had agreed to consider the request.

Subsequently, the foreign secretary through an official letter asked the interior ministry to get CDA’s input before moving a summary to the prime minister for final approval.

Process underway on request of slain Afghan leader’s brother to prime minister

The interior ministry last month sought CDA’s comments on the summary.

Ahmed Shah Massoud, also known as ‘Lion of Panjshir’ resided in Pakistan during the Soviet war and his father is also buried in Peshawar which is a reflection of his close links with Pakistan, the sources said.

He is held in the highest esteem among Afghan leadership for his resistance to the Soviet invasion in the 80s. Later, he also served as Minister of Defence of Afghanistan.

The sources said various states had acknowledged Ahmed Shah Masooud’s contribution to Afghanistan. France honored him with a plaque in Paris last year while San Diego declared September 9, 2020 as Ahmed Shah Massoud day.

When contacted, CDA member planning Naveed Ilahi said as per the existing policy roads/streets can be named after only foreign head of states.

He confirmed that the Ministry of Interior had sought CDA’s comments for naming a street/road after Ahmed Shah Massoud.

“A road can only be named after head of states of foreign countries. We are looking into the case of Ahmed Shah and will inform the government about our existing rules. We will follow whatever direction comes from the government,” he said.

The sources said so far the federal government had named four roads after head of states of foreign countries - Faisal Avenue after former Saudi king Shah Faisal, Attaturk Avenue after Turkish hero Mustafa Kemal Ataturk; roads were also named after Chinese leader Zhou Enlai and former Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser.

A federal government source said: “Ahmed Shah Massoud was a brave Muslim commander and had great links with Pakistan. We want to name a road in the capital city after him to pay homage to his resistance.”

Asked about the rules of CDA, he said: “Rules can be amended that is not a big deal for the government,” adding Pakistan had respect for all ethnic communities of Afghanistan, therefore, the government wanted to name a road after the slain Afghan commander and leader.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2021

 

[King_Kohli]

US could slow Afghanistan withdrawal amid Taliban gains

Over the last month, the Taliban have intensified their attacks and gained control of more than 30 districts. The hardline Islamist group has also seized large quantities of military equipment, according to local media, and killed, wounded or captured dozens of troops.

Afghan government spokespeople have denied that the districts have fallen to the Taliban, saying they were evacuated in a "tactical withdrawal". It is unclear how many Taliban have been killed or wounded.

The Taliban say they have control of the whole northern province of Kunduz, with only the provincial capital retained by the government.

Police said the group had encircled the strategically important city, also named Kunduz, the Associated Press reported. A long-standing target, it briefly fell to the insurgents in 2015 before being retaken by Nato-backed government forces.

Afghan security forces continue to resist the Taliban push, and recaptured two districts in the north-eastern province of Takhar on Sunday.The Taliban say they have control of the whole northern province of Kunduz, with only the provincial capital retained by the government.

Police said the group had encircled the strategically important city, also named Kunduz, the Associated Press reported. A long-standing target, it briefly fell to the insurgents in 2015 before being retaken by Nato-backed government forces.

Afghan security forces continue to resist the Taliban push, and recaptured two districts in the north-eastern province of Takhar on Sunday.

"The situation in Afghanistan changes as the Taliban continue to conduct these attacks and to raid district centres as well as the violence, which is still too high," the Pentagon spokesman said.

"If there needs to be changes made to the pace, or to the scope and scale of the retrograde, on any given day or in any given week, we want to maintain the flexibility to do that.

"We're constantly taking a look at this, every single day: what's the situation on the ground, what capabilities do we have, what additional resources do we need to move out of Afghanistan and at what pace.

"All of these decisions are literally being made in real time."

US-led forces ousted the Taliban from power in Afghanistan in October 2001. The Taliban had been harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures linked to the 9/11 attacks in the US.

US President Joe Biden says the American pull-out is now justified as US forces have made sure Afghanistan cannot again become a base for foreign jihadists to plot against the West.

A senior United Nations official warned last year that al-Qaeda was still "heavily embedded" within Taliban militants in Afghanistan, however.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani says government forces are now fully capable of keeping insurgents at bay, but many believe the withdrawal could cast Afghanistan back into the grip of the Taliban.

Writing in the Washington Post on Tuesday, Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan said his country was willing to be a "partner for peace in Afghanistan" with the US, but would not host US bases.

He said Pakistan had previously made mistakes by choosing between warring parties in neighbouring Afghanistan, and pledged to work with anyone who enjoyed the confidence of the Afghan people.

Afghan leaders have long accused Pakistan of supporting the Taliban. The country's co-operation is seen as critical to US withdrawal goals.

Mr Khan said recently that he would "absolutely not" allow the CIA into Pakistan to conduct cross-border counter-terrorism missions against al-Qaeda, the Islamic State group or the Taliban.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-57564716.amp

 

[mazkhan]

It's inevitable what the US want they want to stay in the region have bases in pakistan and then blackmail pakistan army into Afghanistan to fight the taliban groups,
They tried with the indians but that failed .

Now they want to use turkey and pakistan but the bulk of the troops will be punjabans just like the British ancestors of Americans used mainly punjabans when they invaded the frontier areas and Afghanistan and then ran with the tails between their legs when it all went pear shaped.

I'm just waiting for this bajwa to sell out , already Saudis have been sent with their oil credit bait

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

It's inevitable what the US want they want to stay in the region have bases in pakistan and then blackmail pakistan army into Afghanistan to fight the taliban groups,
They tried with the indians but that failed .

Now they want to use turkey and pakistan but the bulk of the troops will be punjabans just like the British ancestors of Americans used mainly punjabans when they invaded the frontier areas and Afghanistan and then ran with the tails between their legs when it all went pear shaped.

I'm just waiting for this bajwa to sell out , already Saudis have been sent with their oil credit bait

Punjabans usually refers to females of Punjabi ethnicity, I'm sure that was just an oversight.

 

[mazkhan]

Yeh sorry should have said punjabis who formed the bulk of the British army back in colonial days .

But either way we can see where this is going, khan is against conflict , and our papa John generals will be enticed by the American carrot as long as they can live in their villas ,doesn't matter if the rest of the country receives the American danda.

 

[MenInG]

Pakistan was not expecting the Afghan Taliban to make rapid inroads after the US and Nato forces began their drawdown from May 1, officials who deal with the Afghan situation said.

Since May 1 when the US and Nato forces started pulling out their troops from Afghanistan, the Taliban have captured 69 of the country's 407 districts including territory in northern provinces once seen as off-limits for the insurgents and a stronghold for the government, according to the Long War Journal.

The Taliban now hold 142 districts, and are fighting for control of about 170 more. Just this week, the insurgent seized Shir Khan Bandar, the main northern border gateway to Tajikistan.

Also read: Pakistan wants stable govt in Afghanistan: Fawad

"This is unprecedented. In our assessment we never thought Taliban could make inroads that fast after the beginning of the US withdrawal," said a senior official while speaking to The Express Tribune on condition of anonymity.

"They (Taliban) have stretched their influence as far as along the Tajikistan border," he said

What worries Pakistan is the lack of resistance or little resistance offered by the Afghan security forces in the face of Taliban onslaught. The Afghan National Army has a total strength of 300,000 troops while the Taliban are believed to have 10,000 well armed foot soldiers.

"The information we are getting from the ground is that Taliban riding on bikes are taking control of APCs [Armoured Personnel Carriers]. This is unbelievable," the official added. The Afghan Taliban claimed that in many districts they took control after Afghan security forces either surrendered or fled.

President Ashraf Ghani, who was in Washington recently, insists that the Afghan security forces are putting up resistance and have retaken the control of six districts from the Taliban. But President Ghani is seen as an obstacle to peace efforts by many within Afghanistan and outside.

“The reason is that he is neither interested in peace talks nor willing to fight the Afghan Taliban. If he thinks someone else will fight the Taliban he is surely mistaken," the official said.

An unnamed western diplomat in Kabul told Al-Jazeera that President Ghani is a lonely figure in the Afghan government. According to the diplomat, Ghani only consults with his chief of staff, his national security adviser and perhaps his wife.

Also read: Pakistan hopes ‘Taliban won’t allow TTP to operate in Afghanistan’

While his visit to Washington may have given him some boost, the message from President Biden was clear that Afghans themselves have to decide their future.

"This is exactly our position. We believe Afghans have to make a clear choice. If they can't sit and talk among themselves nothing can work," another Pakistani official said.

As the Afghan situation hangs in balance, Pakistan is nevertheless still making efforts on its part to seek a political solution. Islamabad has reached out to Afghan leaders from across party lines, encouraging them to seek a political solution.

After the failure to organize a conference in Turkey, efforts are being made to bring Afghan government and Taliban to the negotiating table either in Doha or Islamabad.

But given the differences and rapid gains being made by Taliban on the battlefield, observers are not hopeful for any breakthrough in the near future.