Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Afghanistan says peace and reconciliation is one of the key aspects of the newly launched bilateral dialogue mechanism with Pakistan.

Zardasht Shams, Afghanistan’s Deputy Ambassador in Islamabad, points out that objectives of the latest round of negotiations are to reduce violence and stop bloodshed.

Shams was speaking days after President Ashraf Ghani sent a high level delegation to Pakistan to discuss implementation of the Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Solidarity, or APAPPSm that also calls for ‘effective actions against fugitives and the irreconcilable elements’, posing security threats to either side.

Both countries also committed to deny use of their respective territory by any country, network, group or individuals for anti-state activities against either country, in reference to the Taliban and others groups in both countries.

Afghan National Security Adviser Haneef Atmar, who is considered as the second powerful man in the Afghan ruling set-up, led talks with Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on May 27.

“The new dialogue mechanism with Pakistan is aimed at making joint efforts either to stop or reduce violence and bloodshed in Afghanistan. So the Afghan side called for urgent implementation of whatever both sides have agreed upon in the APAPPS,” Shams told Daily Times on Friday.

The Afghan diplomat declined comment on the specifics of the recent discussion among senior Pakistani and Afghan military and security officials, and said that more discussions will be held on ways to ensure peace and stop violence in the region. He was confident about Pakistan’s “flexible” approach, which he said led to “consensus and understanding” on several issues.

“Both sides have committed to take action against irreconcilable elements and Atmar reiterated his commitment that Afghanistan will honour its promises and we hope Pakistan will also act in line with the spirit of the APAPPS,” the Afghan diplomat said.

He said the security officials concerned and the joint working groups will review the possible measures. He, however, refused to offer more comments.

Although Kabul attaches high hopes that the new dialogue with Pakistan could pave the way for peace with the Taliban, the insurgents have not shown willingness to join the reconciliation with the Kabul administration.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid quickly rejected as “baseless claim” remarks by top U.S. forces commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, that Taliban leaders are holding secret talks with the government on a possible ceasefire.

“We categorically reject this baseless claim made by General Nicholson. The policy of Islamic Emirate regarding talks and negotiations had been frequently announced and it does not have any secret layers. Talking to impotent parties during the presence of occupying forces is pointless,” Mujahid said in a statement.

“American General Nicholson is making such fabricated statements to divert attention from his failures and to keep the Washington media busy with false claims instead of exposing the failed Trump strategy for Afghanistan to the American people,” he said.

In Kabul, an official of the High Peace Council claimed contacts with certain Taliban but did not confirm any negotiations with the insurgents.

Taliban have stepped up attacks since they launched their spring offensive in late April and also overran few districts including the centre of western Farah province. Last month, the insurgent group killed dozens of police and other security officials when they launched attacks on two districts in Ghazni province, which Afghan defence experts call a gateway to Kabul. Taliban have also increased their operations in northern parts of the country.

On the other hand, U.S. forces in Afghanistan say they have conducted a series of precision strikes over a ten-day period, May 17-26, killing more than 70 senior Taliban leaders.

“These strikes represent one of the largest blows to Taliban leadership in the last year,” said U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, U.S. Forces-Afghanistan and Resolute Support commander on May 30.

The largest of these strikes came on May 24, when four High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) rockets destroyed a known Taliban command and control node in Musa Qal’ah during a high-level meeting of Taliban commanders, the Resolute Support mission said in a statement.

Among the more than 50 casualties was the deputy shadow governor of Helmand, multiple Taliban district governors, intelligence commanders and key provincial-level leadership from Kandahar, Kunduz, Herat, Farah, Uruzgan and Helmand provinces.

Taliban denied the NATO claim.

Published in Daily Times, June 2^nd 2018.