PESHAWAR: Afghan Deputy Chief Executive Muhammad Khan has said that a statement of the US government terming the Taliban ‘important partners’ did not carry significance.

“We should not believe in such statements. Just a few days ago the US government had announced extension of stay of its forces in Afghanistan,” he told Dawn when asked about the recent statement of United States defence department.

The Pentagon spokesman had stated that the US viewed Taliban as important partners in a peaceful Afghan-led reconciliation process.

Engineer Muhammad Khan, along with a 45-member official delegation of the Afghan government, was in Peshawar on Saturday to offer condolences on the death of veteran politician Afzal Khan Lala.

Awami National Party President Asfandyar Wali Khan received the delegation at the residence of party’s senior leader Ghulam Ahmad Bilour. Members of late Khan Lala’s family and leaders of the ANP were present on the occasion.

Talks between Afghan government and Taliban in near future ruled out

Rich tribute was paid to late Khan Lala who had died on last Sunday and he was termed a great well-wisher of the Afghan nation.

The high-level delegation representing all Afghan ethnic groups, including Pakhtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras, federal ministers, parliamentarians, advisers to President Ashraf Ghani, and representative of former president Hamid Karzai and members of the country’s Peace Council and civil society arrived at Bacha Khan International Airport on a chartered plane. Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai was also present.

Due to security reasons, the delegation was not allowed to visit the home of Khan Lala in Swat to offer condolence to his family.

The Afghan President’s Adviser Haji Din Muhammad said he would go to Swat for offering Fateha.

There was no protocol for the delegation and no representatives of the federal and provincial governments were present at the airport or the condolence event.

Engineer Khan was sceptical about talks between Taliban and the Afghan government in the near future.

When asked about an offer made by Pakistan to facilitate the talks, he said peace would never return to the region if the two countries did not adopt a joint line of action and build trust with each other.

“I had cautioned a few years back that if the Afghanistan imbroglio was not resolved, the day was not far when there would be blasts in every corner of Pakistan,” he said.

“I appeal to Pakhtun leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan to play their role for peace and stability in the war-torn country.”

Speaking on the occasion, Asfandyar Wali urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to begin negotiations and build trust to eliminate terrorism. He said both countries could not make progress without peace and mutual trust was essential for peace in the entire region.

He said expectations for restoration of peace had been very high after a meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Ghani, but some quarters had created hurdles to spoil this opportunity.

Messages of President Ghani and Mr Karzai, Paying tribute to Khan Lala, were also read out.

President Ghani said Khan Lala was not only a champion of peace in the region but also a symbol of unity of Pakhtuns. “Certainly, Afzal Khan was a great and sagacious leader,” the statement quoted him as saying.

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015

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