ISLAMABAD: Afghan ambassador to Pakistan Omar Zakhilwal Sunday sought JUI-S chief Maulana Sami ul Haq’s help for peace in Afghanistan as a series of deadly attacks killed nearly 200 people and injured scores others in recent days. Ambassador Zakhilwal, who is also special presidential envoy for Pakistan, travelled to Akora Khattak on Sunday to meet Maulana Sami ul Haq, who is often dubbed as ‘Father of the Taliban’ by West, and press him to play his role in persuading the Taliban to join the peace process. “Afghan ambassador told Maulana that the Afghan government is ready for peace negotiations and also to knock any door to achieve the goal of durable peace in Afghanistan,” a statement issued by Darul Uloom Haqqania said. It is believed that many Afghan Taliban leaders have studied at Darul Uloom Haqqania and that Maulana Sami ul Haq enjoys some influence on them. It was ambassador Zakhilwal’s third visit to the seminary in recent months. However, Maulana is yet to play any active role in Afghan peace and reconciliation process. During a previous visit by the Afghan ambassador, President Ashraf Ghani had also spoken to the Maulana and also invited him to visit Kabul. Series of Taliban attacks on army and police centres in a sudden surge in violence has posed a serious threat to the ongoing diplomatic efforts to find out a peaceful solution to the conflict. In what is widely considered a naïve approach, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid described surge in attacks as an ‘angry reaction’ to President Donald Trump’s strategy for Afghanistan. The Taliban attacks in Kabul, Kandahar, Paktia and Ghazni, the Daesh-claimed suicide bombing of Shia mosque in Kabul and an unclaimed attack at a Shia mosque in central Ghor province have claimed lives of over 200 security forces personnel and civilians. The attacks took place after the recent meeting of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US in Muscat, Oman, after a break of nearly one-and-half years. Taliban defended all these attacks as ‘revenge’ of the US recent bombings in Afghanistan. President Ghani, however, described the Taliban attacks as ‘political defeat’ of the armed opponents of the government. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told Daily Times that “policy of Donald Trump has angered the Taliban and attacks against the enemy can further increase.” “The Kabul administration was upbeat at the US new strategy and they thought everything would be fine. But they are mistaken,” he said in response to questions posted on his official WhatsApp number. When asked about killing of Afghans in Taliban attacks instead of foreigners, Mujahid said, “Servants of Kabul administration are engaged in the defence of the Americans.” To a question about the fate of political negotiations, he said there was no change in Taliban’s stance about the talks. Taliban have refused to hold talks with the Afghan government and say they want dialogue with the US first to talk to them about the withdrawal of the foreign forces. Published in Daily Times, October 23rd 2017.