Afghan TalibanISLAMABAD: The visit of representatives of Afghan Taliban to Indonesia has forced the government to change the agenda of a trilateral conference of religious scholars to be held on May 11 (Friday) in Jakarta, two Taliban leaders confirmed to Daily Times on Thursday. Indonesia had invited Taliban representatives in March after they urged scholars from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesia to boycott the conference, rejecting it as an “intelligence ploy” by foreign invaders “as they have faced defeat on the battlefield.” The Taliban’s strong opposition led to the postponement of the meeting in March and later the organisers also changed the agenda and assured the Taliban that no “fatwa” or religious edit will be issued about Afghanistan and only a joint statement will be released at the conclusion, a Taliban leader, privy to the visit and the understanding between the Taliban and Indonesian organisers, said. “I can confirm that the Taliban visited Jakarta for talks. The visit was aimed at ensuring that no ‘fatwa’ is issued, and no speech is delivered against the jihad,” the Taliban source said. Meanwhile, a 15-member delegation of Pakistani scholars has arrived in Jakarta to join their Afghan and Indonesian counterparts to explore ways for Afghan peace and reconciliation, a Pakistani delegate told Daily Times in a phone call on Thursday. The participant, requesting not to be identified, complained that the organisers had not shared the agenda and the proposed joint statement with the Pakistani delegates until Thursday evening despite requests by delegates. The Indonesian authorities had changed Afghan-specific theme of the conference to “Muslim Ummah — Peace and Harmony,” even removing Afghanistan’s mention in the title. The Afghan government has long been lobbying for a “fatwa” on the war in Afghanistan; but has not yet succeeded as Pakistani scholars want Afghan clerics to call for the withdrawal of the US-led forces that they believe are the main cause of war in Afghanistan. Kabul was also annoyed at a Pakistani “fatwa” as Afghan leaders said it was only limited to Pakistan. Indonesian ambassador to Pakistan Iwan Suyudhie Amri said that the conference is aimed at promoting peace in Afghanistan. “We know it is a complex issue. For Indonesia, we just would like to see peace so as to embark on development both in Pakistan and Afghanistan,” ambassador Amri told Daily Times in a text message. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid declined to comment on the conference, saying that the militia had already explained its position in a statement released in March. “Our message to the noble scholars is that they should avoid participation in such gatherings and not afford an opportunity to the invading infidels in Afghanistan to misuse their name and participation as means of attaining malicious objectives,” the Taliban said in March. The Pakistani delegation said the participants had informal consultations on Thursday and they reached an understanding to support peace in Afghanistan, but they would call for a political solution and press for an end to the foreign invasion. He said majority of Pakistani delegates would not support any edict against the “Islamic injunctions.” A 20-member Afghan delegation, including senior members of the High Peace Council, will take part in the conference. Daily Times has learnt that Saudi Arabia has also planned to hold an international ‘ulema’ conference on Afghanistan, most likely after Eid, that could discuss issuance of a ‘fatwa’ against violence. The Kingdom and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had announced to organise the conference in 2016, but had to postpone it after OIC Secretary-General Iyad Madani resigned reportedly infuriating Egypt over a remark that mocked President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Madani was the central figure behind plans to hold the conference that was strongly opposed by the Taliban. Pakistani clerics, who have arrived in Jakarta, include the deputy chief of Madrassa Haqqania, Akora Khattak, Maulana Anwarul Haq, and his son Salmanul Haq; a senior teacher at Haqqania, Maulana Sheikh Idrees; the chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology Dr Qibla Ayaz; the chief of his own faction of JUP, Shah Owais Noorani; Senator Sajid Mir; a leader of Ansarul Ummah, Fazalur Rehman Khalil; Dr Attaur Rehman of the Jamaat-e-Islami; Allama Yasin Zafar of the International Islamic University; Allama Niaz Hussain Naqvi of the Tehrik Nifaz-e-Fiqah Jafria; Peer Maulana Azizur Rehman Hazarvi; Dr Ziaul Haq; Mufti Naeem of Karachi; Mufti Ghulamur Rehman; Sahibzada Qasmi and the rector of the International Islamic University Islamabad Dr. Masoom Yasinzai. Published in Daily Times, May 11th 2018.