Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Afghan Taliban on Friday ruled out cessation of fighting in the month of Ramazan, and said that they would step up efforts in the holy month to get more rewards.

Afghan president Ashraf Ghani had urged the Taliban to stop fighting in respect for Ramazan, according to the Afghan media. The UN office in Afghan capital Kabul also launched an appeal to all sides to stop fighting in Ramazan.

Tadamichi Yamamoto, UN Secretary General’s special representative for Afghanistan, on the occasion of Ramazan, urged the Taliban and other parties to the conflict to halt fighting.

“I sincerely hope that the observation of Ramadan will provide an opportunity for all communities in Afghanistan to come closer to each other and build bridges peacefully. In the same spirit, I would like to call parties to the conflict to respect this religious obligation and halt the fighting,” the UN envoy said in his appeal.

The top American commander, Gen. John Nicholson, delivered a Ramazan message for Afghanistan, encouraging Taliban forces to accept the Afghan government’s offer and the Afghan people’s demands for peace.

“In this holy month, we encourage all armed Taliban to accept the offer of His Excellency, the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and join in peace talks, for a better future for their children and the noble people of this great nation,” Gen Nicolson, the NATO-led Resolute Support Mission Commander, said.

Unimpressed by the appeals, the Taliban vowed to continue fighting. “Islam’s major battles were fought in Ramazan like the Jang-e-Badr and the Conquest of Mecca. So we will step up operations against the invaders and their backers,” Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, when asked if the Taliban would stop fighting in the holy month..

On the first day of Ramazan, Taliban resumed fighting with the Afghan forces, backed by US forces, in western Farah city. Taliban had earlier claimed overrunning the city but government forces drove them out. The fighting resumed on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the Taliban on Friday declared general amnesty to all military formations, national army, national police, private militia and all employees of the government to safeguard their lives and wealth if they quit the regime.

“For the sake of your own lives, for the protection of your children and for deliverance in the afterlife, leave the support of the Americans and accept the invitation by the Islamic Emirate of a life of peace and honour for you and your families,” said a Taliban letter, addressed to government employees.

Pakistan to host conference of clerics

In another development, a conference of the religious scholars of Pakistan and Afghanistan is planned in Pakistan in the coming months to seek support for peace and reconciliation in the war-ravaged country, Daily Times learnt on Friday.

Kabul has long been pleading for the role of Pakistani religious leaders and clerics to convince the Taliban to end their war and join peace process. Afghan government has also floated a suggestion for a joint “fatwa” by the Pakistani and Afghan ‘ulema.’

Afghan government was encouraged by a declaration adopted at a trilateral ‘ulema’ conference of Afghanistan, Indonesia and Pakistan in Indonesia on May 11, which backed President Ashraf Ghani’s dialogue offer to the Taliban. A delegation of 15 top Pakistani scholars who attended the conference also opposed suicide attacks in Afghanistan.

Pakistan has also supported the Indonesian conference declaration and the Foreign Office spokesman Mohammad Faisal said at his weekly briefing on Thursday that Pakistani ulema constructively participated in the meeting.

He recalled that President of Indonesia during his visit to Pakistan in January this year had shared the idea of hosting a trilateral Afghanistan-Indonesia-Pakistan ulema meeting in Jakarta with the Pakistani President and the Prime Minister.

“Our leadership had welcomed and assured Pakistan’s support for the Indonesian initiative,” Faisal said.

Afghan ambassador in Islamabad Omar Zakhilwal has been actively engaging leaders of religious parties and has held a series of meetings with Maulana Fazal ur Rehman, Sir ul Haq, Maulana Sami ul Haq and Fazal ur Rehman Khalil.

Afghanistan says that Saudi Arabia will also host an international ‘ulema’ conference about Afghanistan in July.

Published in Daily Times, May 19^th 2018.