Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: The High Peace Council (HPC) on Sunday claimed that the presence of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar as the second in command in Taliban ranks in the peace negotiations was not helpful to bring peace to the war-hit country.
Mullah Baradar was appointed as the head of Taliban’s political office based in Qatar by the militant leader Mullah Hebatullah earlier this year after being released from Pakistani custody last November. He is now heading the peace talks with the United States diplomats.
Attaurahman Salim, deputy head for HPC, said: “With Mullah Abdul Ghani Bradar and Mullah Fazel coming into picture, we thought that as they are key figures of the Taliban … this shortcoming [Taliban’s impotence] has been dealt with; however, unfortunately, just like the past this flaw in the Taliban’s delegation remains unabated.”
Salim said HPC was striving to initiate direct dialogues between the government and the Taliban has raised hopes for these talks.
This comes at a time that the seventh round of the peace talks between the US negotiators and the Taliban members in Doha, Qatar, will take place next week. However, the Taliban have so far refused so sit on the table with the Afghan government.
The US forces withdrawal from Afghanistan, counterterrorism assurances, a ceasefire and direct talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban are the main key issues which have been under debate in the six rounds of the negotiators between US chief negotiator Zalmay Khalilzad and Taliban members.
