Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: The parliament rejected remarks by a senior politician on the presence of Taliban leaders in Afghanistan, calling it regrettable.
Pir Sayed Hamed Gilani, head of the Mahaz-e-Melli (National Front), a jihadi party turned to political one, had claimed Saturday that “most of the Taliban leaders” are in Afghanistan, suggesting that opportunity for peace talks was available more than any time in the past.
“Definitely, his (Gilani’s) statements are against the national interests and I am very regretful that he has turned a blind eye to the reality,” parliament speaker, Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi said Monday in the general session.
Saheb Khan, a member of the parliament, said that such remarks should be prevented in what he called “in the sensitive situation of the country”.
Another legislator, Shekiba Hashemi, said that the intelligence agency should investigate if the leaders of Taliban are inside the country.
The national directorate of security also called the claim inauthentic, saying in a statement that its information says that leaders of Taliban and other terrorist groups were living in the other side of the Durand Line (in Pakistan).
Mohammad Hassan Haqyar, a senior member of the Mahaz-e-Melli party said that his boss did not exonerate any foreign country.
“Gilani did not mean that the Taliban leaders are in Afghanistan at all means and he didn’t exonerate any foreign country. He just encouraged the government that this is the time for peace negotiations and the government should use the time to talk to the leaders of Taliban,” Haqyar said.
Separately, chief executive Abdullah Abdullah said that everyone knows the hideouts of the Taliban leaders.
The US president, had earlier accused Pakistani officials of harboring terrorist groups.
