Afghan Taliban delegation talked peace, refugees on Pakistan tour: group notification

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Afghan Taliban co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar arrives in Islamabad, Pakistan. Geo.tv/Files

ISLAMABAD: A delegation of the Afghan Taliban talked regional peace, Afghan refugees, and bilateral relations with Pakistan during a visit to Islamabad earlier this week, the group said in a notification issued Sunday.

The Afghan Taliban's 12-member delegation — led by the group's co-founder Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar — called on Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi and exchanged views on peace and stability in the South Asian region and bilateral relations in their meeting.

The delegation discussed the matter of providing facilities to Afghan refugees and traders residing in Pakistan, it said, adding that the spokesperson for Kabul's foreign ministry, Sibghatullah Ahmadi, had welcomed the Afghan Taliban’s visit to Islamabad.

However, the notification underscored how the Afghan President House had immediately denied Ahmadi's commendation, terming it his personal view.

The Afghan Taliban consequently stressed that the conflicting statements indicated a deep divide among those who rule Kabul and that its administration did not have the ability to hold negotiations.

The Afghan Taliban noted that they, along with the United States, would deal with Kabul's administration on first priority and that discussions with the various other Afghan factions would be commenced later on.

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