Daily Times

President Ashraf Ghani’s administration has taken an ill-advised decision to call back its Islamabad-based ambassador as a protest on Prime Minister Imran Khan’s reported comments regarding installation of interim government in Afghanistan.

Afghan officials even did not confirm whether or not Imran Khan had offered such comments, which they viewed as “interference” in internal affairs in Afghanistan.

Ambassador Atif Mashal, who had returned to Islamabad on Tuesday from Afghanistan, left for Kabul on Wednesday after he was called back as protest over the reported comments by Imran Khan.

Although the Foreign Office clarified that the PM had referred to Pakistan’s model where elections are held under an interim government. The foreign office insisted that the “comments should not be misinterpreted to imply interference in Afghanistan’s internal affairs.” However, the clarification is seemed to have little impact in Afghanistan as Afghan leaders kept on continuing their criticism at the prime minister.

Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah said remarks by Pakistani prime minister are not acceptable to anyone in Afghanistan.

“We welcome all efforts towards peace in Afghanistan, but will never allow any country to subvert the right of self-determination of our people or undermine our sovereignty under the pretext of facilitating peace negotiations,” Abdullah tweeted.

“I want to be very clear that the so-called “interim government” provides solution to nothing in Afghanistan. Our route to peace and stability must pass through elections,” the Afghan leader said.

At home, Pashtoon nationalist leaders also did not spare Imran Khan. The Awami National Party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan said Imran Khan’s statement gives an impression that he “represents the Taliban which will harm existence of this country.”

“Imran Khan’s statement regarding an interim government in Afghanistan is interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country as a time when peace talks in Afghanistan are underway,” the ANP chief said in a statement, posted online. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi described Kabul’s decision to call back its ambassador as a “knee-jerk” reaction and told a private television channel that Imran Khan did not have any intension of interference in internal affairs.

Although Ghani’s National Unity Government links withdrawal of its ambassador for “consultations” with Imran Khan’s latest remarks, the move could be seen in the context of Kabul’s frustration of being left out of the Taliban-US talks.

It is not only Pakistan, but Ghani’s administration is also in direct confrontation with the United States over the Taliban peace talks. Ghani’s top security advisor Hamdullah Mohib’s serious allegations against US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad that he wants to keep Kabul out of the peace talks for personal interests evoked harsh reaction in the US and reports said Washington has told Mr Ghani the US will no more deal with his advisor.

Ghani regime was further isolated when almost all senior political leaders including Hamid Karzai, Haneef Atmar, Younas Qanooni, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Atta Mohammad Noor, Ismail Khan, Hekmatyar’s Hizb-e-Islami and over 50 other political leaders sat with the Taliban political envoys in Moscow in February.

A second round of the Moscow talks will be held in Qatar on April 14-15, according to Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef. Ghani gov’t stopped members of the government-sponsored high peace council from attending the Moscow talks that was a major step towards the intra-Afghan dialogue. Peace council secretary Umar Daudzai had confirmed that the council was invited to the Moscow talks, which was a good opportunity for its members to interact with the Taliban.

The war-weary Afghans have attached high hopes to the Taliban-US talks and the coming round in Qatar is seen important as both sides could reach some sort of agreement as both had reported progress in the last round.

Zalmay Khalilzad has already started another visit and Qatar is included in his March 25-April 10 trip. A State Department statement says Khalilzad will travel to the United Kingdom, Belgium, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Qatar as part of the overall effort to facilitate a peace process that brings all Afghan parties together in inclusive intra-Afghan negotiations. In Kabul, the Special Representative will consult with the Afghan government and other Afghans about the status of U.S. talks with the Taliban, encourage efforts to form an inclusive negotiating team, and discuss next steps in intra-Afghan discussions and negotiations.

The Special Representative will meet with the Allies and partners regarding the status of peace talks and to coordinate sustained commitment by the international community to peace and development in Afghanistan.

Khalilzad had discussions with Chinese, Russian and EU special envoys for Afghanistan in Washington days ago that was important ahead of the next round. Taliban say the US side has in principled agreed on the troops’ withdrawal and to prevent Afghanistan from terrorism in future.