The Pakistani military officials are saying that the country has no influence over Afghan Taliban as they have emphasize that the group will not participate in peace talks on Pakistan’s request.
Publish dateWednesday 4 April 2018 - 13:56
Story Code : 161198
AVA- A spokesman for the military of Pakistan Gen. Asif Ghafoor has said “Pakistan is contributing and supporting the peace process in Afghanistan.”
Speaking to a private TV channel, Gen. Ghafoor further added that “We have contributed as much as we can and will continue to do so.”
In regards to the key role Pakistan could play to encourage Taliban to participate in peace, Gen. Ghafoor said “Pakistan Army has never said that it has influence on Taliban.”
“It’s not that we’ll tell Taliban to negotiate and they’ll come to the table. We don’t have influence over them,” he said.
This comes as the Taliban group has so far refrained from participation in direct peace talks with the Afghan government and insists on direct talks with the US.
On the other hand, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs told reporters last month that President Ghani offered a dignified process during the Kabul Process-II summit.
“This is not a surrender that’s being offered to the Taliban, but a dignified process for reaching a political framework. And again, he emphasized that this is negotiations without preconditions, a process that would lead to a cessation of violence, halt the ties with terrorism, and respect for the Afghanistan constitution,” she added.
Speaking to a private TV channel, Gen. Ghafoor further added that “We have contributed as much as we can and will continue to do so.”
In regards to the key role Pakistan could play to encourage Taliban to participate in peace, Gen. Ghafoor said “Pakistan Army has never said that it has influence on Taliban.”
“It’s not that we’ll tell Taliban to negotiate and they’ll come to the table. We don’t have influence over them,” he said.
This comes as the Taliban group has so far refrained from participation in direct peace talks with the Afghan government and insists on direct talks with the US.
On the other hand, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Alice Wells of the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs told reporters last month that President Ghani offered a dignified process during the Kabul Process-II summit.
“This is not a surrender that’s being offered to the Taliban, but a dignified process for reaching a political framework. And again, he emphasized that this is negotiations without preconditions, a process that would lead to a cessation of violence, halt the ties with terrorism, and respect for the Afghanistan constitution,” she added.
Source : Afghan Voice Agency(AVA)
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