Afghan President shrugs off criticism over outreach to Pakistan

KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Friday shrugged off criticism from the country's intelligence chief who resigned over his diplomatic outreach to Pakistan aimed at reviving peace talks with the resurgent Taliban.

The resignation of Rahmatullah Nabil on Thursday highlights the domestic backlash Ghani faces over his attempts to repair strained relations with Pakistan, whom Kabul has blamed for nurturing the Taliban.

But Ghani has staked considerable political capital in advocating bonhomie with Pakistan, saying it is a necessary partner in restarting peace talks aimed at ending Afghanistan's long war.

“Without positive support from Pakistan, won't the war in Afghanistan keep dragging on? You answer me,” Ghani told a press conference on Friday.

“If one of the main sources of instability in Afghanistan is our neighbour... then there is a comprehensive need to work together to end this fighting."

Nabil resigned a day after he posted a scathing Facebook post criticising Ghani's recent high-profile visit to Pakistan for a conference that shored up international support for Taliban talks.

“Our innocent countrymen were being martyred and beheaded in Kandahar airfield... at the moment when (Pakistan) Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif once again said Afghanistan's enemy is Pakistan's enemy,” he wrote.

He was referring to a 27-hour Taliban siege this week of Kandahar airport, the largest military installation in southern Afghanistan, which killed at least 50 people.

Nabil's resignation comes as Afghanistan's security establishment, already without a full-time defence minister, is struggling to rein in the ascendant insurgency.

At the Islamabad conference, Ghani and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed commitment to the peace process, with the United States and China also offering support.

Pakistan hosted a milestone first round of peace negotiations in July.

But the talks stalled when the Taliban belatedly confirmed the death of longtime leader Mullah Omar, sparking a power struggle within the movement.

The Foreign Office issued a statement Friday saying it hoped consultation on the talks would begin “soon”.

Ghani voiced optimism that the negotiations would resume in the coming weeks, saying Afghanistan was “thirsty for peace and stability”.

“The time has come for different Taliban factions to choose peace... The talks will start soon and we will reach an outcome,” he said.

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Comments (29) Closed

Naveed

Dec 11, 2015 10:07pm

One sensible man, lets hope and pray he survives the wrath of opposing warlords to see a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

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M.Saeed

Dec 11, 2015 10:43pm

For lasting peace in Afghanistan, it is necessary to do something very visible to prove that, we are equally against terrorists of any title. Already, we are sheltering over 3 million Afghan refugees for decades and there are a very large number of Afghans, including their President Ashraf Ghani, who are grateful for this huge humanity gesture that has cost fortune to Pakistan. Then, we are their most important transit route for goods. We are also most dependable and practical couriers of their drugs and illegal financial returns. List is inexhaustible and we must make it well publicized for the consumption of Afghans at large so as to build our strong positive image.

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Last Word

Dec 11, 2015 10:53pm

Ghani has still not lost hope in Pakistan despite facing fierce opposition at home but it totally depends on the latter not to fail Afghanistan again as this may be his last ditch attempt.

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Haroon

Dec 11, 2015 10:56pm

Mr Ghani stated in Afghanistan "“If one of the main sources of instability in Afghanistan is our neighbour... then there is a comprehensive need to work together to end this fighting."". I could not understand that why we want to lend a helping hand to these people who hate us so much. We should isolate ourself from this hate mongering crowd. Afghans live in the ideology where they will and can never accept their mistakes. Kindly learn from history. Afghans will always remain in the fake racist supremacist ideologies and they will always blame others for their shortcomings.

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Saeed Masood

Dec 11, 2015 11:04pm

Ashraf Ghani should reach out for Pakistan even more openly and strongly..there are some elements in Afghanistan belonging to the group Abdullah Abdullah...who are paid stooges of India to oppose Pakistan...If Afghanistan hands over Mullah Fazlullah to Pakistan that will be a big step towards peace in the region...

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zafar Iqbal

Dec 11, 2015 11:22pm

Afghanistan is nothing without Pakistan! We are not the source of your troubles, Mr Ghani. Taleban are not Pakistanis.

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Optimistic

Dec 11, 2015 11:24pm

What Afghanistan has done on Pakistani Taliban? especially the Fazlullah. Afghanistan must get back all of the Afghaneese living in Pakistan for the past 36 years. Apart from Ghani, Kabul administration is full of Indian paid thugs and warlords. One among them was their ex-intelligent chief.

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ksch

Dec 11, 2015 11:24pm

Expecting support while blaming pak by saying source of instability. And nds head putting airport attack on pak. Can he tell what was his agency and he doing before these attacks? Sleeping ? People can cross border and go miles in and attack and you were hiding and doing nothing in your room? They dont do anything and expect others to clear their mess. Pak did told they gonna start operation but they didnt bother to beef up security on their side. Fact is ttp is enjoying safe heavens in afghanistan. And when talks were going on, who spilled the news of omars death to sabotage the talks?

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hamad khan

Dec 11, 2015 11:45pm

This man truly wants peace in Afghanistan. Pakistan must support him. . . ghani is the only pro Pakistani leader in Afghanistan all others are Indian thugs ...

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Haroon

Dec 12, 2015 12:12am

@Naveed Most of fellow Pakistanis do not even read half of the news. They read the headlines or may be the first paragraph at most. Kindly read the full article. Upon reaching Afghanistan he blamed Pakistan for everything and he stated that he wanted to dialog with Pakistan because they are the only problem makers in Afghanistan. Kindly do read the whole report and then comment. He is again Blaming Pakistan for everything.

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Simple

Dec 12, 2015 12:36am

Only solution is political/sharing power with Taliban but Anti Pakistan group in Afghan Govt will again create problems in peace talks.

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Shahid

Dec 12, 2015 12:38am

Mr. Rahmattulah Nabil, People like you who are many in number, are a walking evidence to justify Pakistan's past decade's politics on Afghanistan.

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IamPakistan

Dec 12, 2015 01:06am

Sincere prayers for longlasting peace in both neighbouring countries.

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Mohammad Saletem

Dec 12, 2015 01:08am

Evidently, like his predecessor, Karzai, Ghani has also miserably failed to lead and inspire his countrymen. Many people in Afghanistan consider him to be a person lacking leadership qualities as well as political acumen. Moreover, he conducts foreign policy in line with his whims that is counter-productive. It's note worthy that he patronizes corrupt individuals. The ambassador-designate to Pakistan is a case in point.

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Naim

Dec 12, 2015 01:29am

Mr nabil won't tell as country spy chief why could not he manged intelligence of this incident But putting dint in reapproachment He was the man who leaked the news and sabotaaj

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Taimoor khan

Dec 12, 2015 01:46am

These northern alliance people who have infiltrated all power corridors in Afghanistan, despite in being minority, are the major impedement in the Afghan peace process. They want to maintain the status quo which is anarchy and war inside Afghanistan which in turn allows them to be in power with the help extra regional powers. And of course these lot are very close to India. Sooner Afghans get rid of them the better.

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Ghaznavi

Dec 12, 2015 03:21am

“If one of the main sources of instability in Afghanistan is our neighbour... then there is a comprehensive need to work together to end this fighting." Centuries ago Shah Latif has summarized Afghan problem in one sentence "Sindhri tukhay Khandhar tay Jokho" Sindh your threat will come from Kandahar. This is true even true.

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J.Niaz

Dec 12, 2015 03:51am

Finally some good news from our Western borders.

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Saqib

Dec 12, 2015 04:46am

Pakistan has given you people home and shelter for nearly 40 years. have some shame and show some gratitude.

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Saqib

Dec 12, 2015 04:47am

Pakistan has suffered a lot because of Afghan problems ,has been host to more than three million Afghans and is still getting the short end of the stick,but I still believe that Pakistan should support Ashraf Ghani wholeheartedly ,as he is the only person who has the courage and vision to fix the chaos in his country

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Rational

Dec 12, 2015 04:50am

Afghanistan needs to stop begging from other countries and fight their own secretarian war going on for centuries

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FutureWizard

Dec 12, 2015 05:40am

Pakistan must stop thinking and treating Afganistan as 'state'/'depth'. Treat Afganistan as equal nation and things will workout well.

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Mohammed Ahmed

Dec 12, 2015 07:43am

Some groups in the region who don't want peace and have their own interest in the game are playing their card very well and this thing will continue in future too, so don't expect any major break through.

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Just here

Dec 12, 2015 08:43am

All afghanis who are anti Pakistan are Dari speakers not pashtuns.

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Ali

Dec 12, 2015 10:17am

Sir we support you and Inshaallah you will overcome with all problems which created for your people. Over full support for you and hope you will act accordingly.

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Iftikhar Husain

Dec 12, 2015 05:17pm

We wellcome the cooperation given by Afghan Persident like a brother i think whole Pakistan is looking a friendly Afghnistan. Both countries have suffered lot and it is a high time to come together to peaci in both countries.

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Syed Ahmed

Dec 12, 2015 11:07pm

Pakistan leadership is foolish, they are sincere in seeing peace in Afghanistan as it brings peace to Pakistan. But first the US has to get out of Afghanistan before peace can even have a chance. Secondly Pakistan has to counter the Afghan narrative which probably taught to them by India, that somehow peace in Afghanistan is not possible without Pakistan, meaning it is Pakistan that is the cause of non-peace. Pakistan too is at fault for trying too hard, and looks like it is the culprit behind the Afghan Taliban which it is not. Pakistan should admit and announce to the world, it has nothing to do with the Taliban and then really do it. That Afghans must discuss peace on their own, without Indian, Iranian, Russian, American, etc etc interferement including Pakistani. Afghans have been fighting one another for centuries and no one can make them make peace but themselves. Pak needs to back off now.

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Aub

Dec 13, 2015 08:31am

Clearly people of Afgan are against president.by doing so you cant acheive long lasting peace in afganistan.Pakistan need to do more to win trust of Afgan people.

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Aub

Dec 13, 2015 08:36am

Only solution for peace in south Asia both in afganistan Pakistan is if Pakistan stop supporting Taliban.and accept the madate of people of afganistan.Taliban are killing people there daily.

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