Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Experts believe that recent drone strike on Mullah Akhtar Mansour was not good omen for peace efforts in Afghanistan as new leadership of Taliban will try to reconsolidate among various Taliban groups.

Aziz Ahmad Khan, former Pakistani Ambassador to Afghanistan talking to Daily Times said that after the death of Mansour new leadership will once again try to reconsolidate its position among the rank and file of Taliban. It also can adopt hardliner approach due to which dialogue process can once again be deviated.

Khan said that it is a big set-back to peace process of Afghanistan. This incident happened when Mansour was trying to consolidate his leadership after the death of Mullah Omar.

Though, Taliban Central Shurra is existing but different commanders of Taliban also act independently. He said now, the US has fewer forces than before in Afghanistan and after killing of Mansour various factions of Taliban will retaliate against Afghan forces. It is better option that the US with Pakistan through Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG)) should try for reconciliation among various groups and bring them to the negotiation table.

Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director of Center for Research and Security Studies told Daily Times that this incident will harden Pakistani position and drive it much closer to China and increase dependence on it, besides it will also sharpen divisions within Taliban movement.

Mansour had done his best to consolidate his power and also get many commanders ready for talks and was dealing with a dangerous mix of religious, nationalist and criminal motivations are at play, Gul said. The US calculation is that assassination of Mullah Mansour may hasten negotiations but that will not likely happen, Gul said, adding that if the successor to Mansour will be elected soon then the possibility is that Taliban attacks will intensify.

Gul said that this incident could also create mistrust among Pakistan and Taliban because Pakistan was taken into confidence as the US Secretary of State John Kerry stated that they had informed Pakistan’s PM Nawaz Sharif.

Earlier, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif criticised the US drone strike in Balochistan. Prime Minister and Foreign Office termed it violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty.

In the strikes Mullah Akhtar Mansour killed in Balochistan’s Dalbandin district.