In a statement released on Friday, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Jamiat-e-Ulema Islam (JUI-F), hailed his recent visit to Afghanistan as “highly successful.” The influential cleric confirmed that he had a meeting with the Afghan Taliban chief in Kandahar, marking a significant diplomatic development.
Returning to Pakistan after an almost weeklong trip to Afghanistan, Fazl revealed that he had engaged with various top Afghan Taliban leaders during his visit. The highlight of his journey was undoubtedly the meeting with Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada, making him the first Pakistani leader to meet the reclusive chief and only the second foreign visitor, following the Qatari prime minister.
Speaking in an interview with an Afghan media outlet before concluding his visit, Fazl characterized his discussions with Haibatullah as comprehensive and inclusive, covering all pertinent issues between the two sides. In addition to meeting the Taliban chief, the JUI-F chief held talks with the Afghan interim prime minister, as well as the ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs, Interior, and Refugees. Notably, he also had a meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Taliban movement and an essential member of the interim government.
Reports also surfaced regarding separate meetings between Fazl and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) chief Noor Wali Mehsud and Hafiz Gul Bahadur, who leads his own militant group. While Gul Bahadur was once associated with the JUI-F, there has been no official confirmation from either the Taliban or the JUI-F regarding these reported encounters with Pakistan’s most wanted terrorists.
Despite the government distancing itself from Fazl’s visit, emphasizing its private nature and clarifying that he did not represent the state, the fact that he received a briefing about Pakistan’s stance before traveling to Kabul suggests a certain level of government involvement. Sources indicate that Fazl is expected to brief relevant authorities upon his return, providing insights into his engagements with the Taliban leadership. Pakistani authorities are particularly interested in understanding the details of his meeting with the Taliban chief, given the Taliban’s awareness of Pakistan’s stance on the TTP.
There are reports indicating that the Taliban chief extended an offer to use the country’s diplomatic channels to revive talks between Pakistan and the TTP. Haibatullah suggested that the Taliban’s office in Qatar could serve as a venue for these discussions, mirroring previous engagements between Taliban representatives and American officials in Doha to negotiate a peace deal.
Nguồn bài viết : Trực tiếp
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