ISLAMABAD, Nov 15: An ANP delegation, led by its president Asfandyar Wali and comprising Begum Nasim Wali Khan, Ajmal Khattak, Afrasiab Khattak and Fareed Toofan, is leaving for Kabul on Nov 20 at the invitation of Afghanistan’s interim President Hamid Karzai.

The three-day visit is being seen as part of Mr Karzai’s efforts to engage liberal Pukhtun elements in Pakistan. Mr Karzai has also opened dialogue with moderate Taliban leaders in and outside Afghanistan.

ANP leader Zahid Khan said the delegation would discuss the law and order situation in Afghanistan, raise the issue of Pakistani prisoners in Afghanistan besides discussing the political situation of the region.

The visit to Kabul by the ANP delegation comes amid reports of Taliban regrouping in Afghanistan.

While Karzai is trying to woo moderate elements among Taliban, its hardline leader Mullah Umer released a tape — purporting to contain his message — on Saturday admonishing moderates and local commanders to desist from supporting Karzai administration.

The ANP, which did not have much political influence among Pukhtuns supporting the Taliban. calls for adequate Pukhtun representation in Karzai government.

Since its rout in the last election, the ANP, observers believe, is desperate to win back its former political primacy in the NWFP.

The Kabul visit is being seen as an exploratory attempt.

“There is nothing to lose as we are already out of the mainstream politics,” said an ANP leader on the condition of anonymity.

However, there are some imponderables that need to be watched.

Firstly, it is yet to be seen how this visit will be interpreted by elements not happy over the campaign against terrorism, particularly in the tribal areas. It is also not clear as to how will Mr Karzai’s partners in the government, particularly the Tajik-dominated Northern Alliance interpret the attempts by Pukhtuns on the two sides of Durand Line to close their ranks.

It is reasonable to assume that Americans, who are running the show in Afghanistan, would support the move.

This makes it interesting as the ANP, which has traditionally opposed Washington, would be seen, after this visit, to be giving up their antagonism towards the United States.

ANP sources insist that this is “an absolutely private visit” and has “nothing to do” with the government of Pakistan. It’s an informal visit being undertaken on the initiative of the Karzai government, said Zahid Khan.

But how will Pakistan react to this development is not known. What is known is that Afghanistan’s political situation remains fluid as various factions — at local, regional and international tiers — are adjusting to the fast changing situation.