KABUL, Jan 1: Afghan peace negotiators on Tuesday welcomed the release of eight Taliban leaders by Pakistan terming the move a significant boost to efforts to end 11 years of war.

High Peace Council said the releases underlined that Pakistan was supporting talks.

Former Taliban justice minister Mullah Nooruddin Turabi was among those freed on Monday. Afghan officials believe released Taliban leaders could help bring militants to the negotiating table.

“It is a practical step in the right direction,” said Ismail Qasimyar, head of international relations for peace council.

“Pakistan can play an important role in bringing peace to Afghanistan. We hope those freed will become peace messengers,” he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid confirmed the release of Mullah Turabi and three others, rather than the eight men cited by Pakistan.

“Four of our friends, including Mullah Turabi, have been freed. They will join their families shortly,” he said.

Peace negotiator Mohammad Masoom Stanekzai said that the Kabul government hoped to transform the Afghan Taliban into a political movement. He predicted that Haqqani network would join peace process if Afghan Taliban started formal talks.

Signs are emerging the Afghan government is gaining momentum in its drive to persuade the Taliban to lay down arms before most Nato troops pull out.

Members of the Afghan government, the Taliban and some of their old enemies in the Northern Alliance discussed ways of easing the conflict during a recent meeting in France.

“I think one consensus was that everybody acknowledged that nobody will win by military (means),” said Mr Stanekzai, who was badly wounded in a 2011 Taliban suicide attack. “Everybody acknowledged that we have to enter into a meaningful negotiation.”

Mr Stanekzai stressed that to bring long-term stability, reconciliation efforts should aim at bringing the Taliban and other militants into Afghan politics.

“The purpose of the peace process is we want all Afghans to be part of the political system,” said Mr Stanekzai, who studied at Cambridge and was in charge of disarmament in Afghanistan before becoming a senior member of the High Peace Council.

“This peace process should not just be a deal between a few people or between the government and the Taliban, but everybody should benefit from it and should see a peaceful prospect for themselves in the future.”

Some activists fear the government will make concessions to pacify the Taliban that could hurt efforts to improve women’s rights.

Mr Stanekzai said Afghan security forces had made progress but acknowledged that more work was needed to ensure they would be ready to take over when the US combat mission ends in 2014.

He also believes free and fair presidential elections in April 2014 are essential to prevent further conflict.

Mr Stanekzai warned that reconciliation was complex. The Haqqanis are regarded as a possible spoiler.

Asked if he thought there would be a breakthrough in peace efforts, he said conditions had been established to make that possible but noted that Afghanistan was highly unpredictable. “Anything can happen. You don’t know which direction these different actors will take”.

He recalled how a man posing Taliban peace envoy kissed the hand of ex-Afghan president and chairman of the High Peace Council Burhanuddin Rabbani before detonating a bomb hidden in his turban.

Mr Rabbani was killed instantly and Mr Stanekzai was badly Wounded.—AFP/Reuters