Daily Times

Pakistan on Tuesday released a senior Afghan Taliban leader who was taken into custody from Peshawar a few days ago, Taliban sources said.

Hafiz Mohibullah is the member of a Taliban political commission and has taken part in several rounds of peace talks. Taliban officials said they do not know as to why he was arrested at a time when Taliban and the US were engaged in talks to find out a political solution to the Afghan conflict.

Meanwhile, Afghan Taliban warned on Tuesday that they would be forced to stall all talks and negotiations if US refused to discuss withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan. A Taliban statement said the US is ‘backing away’ from the agenda and is unilaterally adding new subjects besides using pressure tactics.

Afghan Taliban threaten to abandon talks if US refuses to discuss withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan

The warning came days after Zalmay Khalilzad, US special representative for Afghanistan reconciliation, cancelled his meeting with Taliban in Qatar. Khalilzad is now seeking cooperation from Pakistan and other stakeholders to exert pressure on Taliban to join the intra-Afghan dialogue and it will be the main item on agenda of his talks with Pakistani officials, which will start on Wednesday in Islamabad.

“As the US agreed during Doha meeting in the month of November 2018 about discussing the withdrawal of foreign forces from Afghanistan and preventing Afghanistan from being used against other countries in the upcoming meeting, she now is backing away from that agenda and is unilaterally adding new subjects,” the Taliban statement said. “Hence the Islamic Emirate warns US if the current state of affairs continues and US sustains her insincerity, then the Islamic Emirate will be forced to stall all talks and negotiations,” it added.

The Taliban said they have kept all channels open for a political solution and designated political office in Doha for all contacts. “Every country seeking to lend a hand in finding a peaceful solution to the Afghan issue can contact the political office and are welcomed by the Islamic Emirate. This issue can neither be solved through pressure or tactical maneuvering of anyone nor is it acceptable for anyone to use the issue of Afghanistan for strengthening ties or furthering their own interests,” the statement said.

Published in Daily Times, January 16^th 2019.