HPC team in Islamabad to meet Mullah Baradar

ISLAMABAD (PAN official said on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, the visiting negotiators met Pakistani officials on ways of promoting the Afghan-led peace drive, a source in the Foreign Office told Pajhwok Afghan News on condition of anonymity. 

He said the visit came after Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s acceptance of a request from Afghan President Hamid Karzai to let the HPC team hold peace parleys with the senior Taliban leader.

The agreement was reached at last month’s trilateral summit hosted by British Prime Minister David Cameron in London, where the three leaders agreed on joint efforts for advancing the Afghan-managed reconciliation campaign.  

Headed by the Afghan government’s chief negotiator, Salahuddin Rabbani, the delegation includes PHC Secretary Masoom Stanakzai and two other officials. The team, which was to return to Kubl Wednesday evening, extended its stay in the Pakistani capital for a day.

Islamabad freed Baradar in September in response to repeated requests from the Karzai administration, which believes the Taliban leader could play an effective role in bringing insurgent leaders to the negotiating table.

“Yes, the delegates held talks with Pakistani officials at the Ministry of Interior and Foreign Office on promoting stability in the neighbouring country. Obviously, they are hugely interested in seeing Baradar,” the source said.

However, he would not go into the details of when and where the HPC officials would meet Baradar. “I think they will meet, but have no more details to share with you.”

mud

Views: 1