KABUL (Pajhwok): The chairman of the National Assembly Standing Committee on Foreign Relations said on Monday Islamabad should hand leaders of Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network over to Kabul to help expedite the slow-moving peace process in Afghanistan, Pakistani media reports.
“….we should not have any problem in handing over members of Haqqani Network or leaders of Afghan Taliban to Afghanistan if this help push the reconciliation process,” Awais Ahmed Khan Laghari told reporters in Islamabad.
He however, said he had no information whether any Afghan Taliban commanders were in Pakistan’s custody.
“If they are in Pakistan, we must deliver them to Kabul because the objective of both the countries is to bring peace [in the region],” he reiterated.
Some days back, a well-placed source in the government told Pajhwok Afghan News that the president had dispatched a letter to civilian and military officials of the neighboring state.
Another source said that the president had demanded Pakistan to initiate eight steps against Taliban in the next three weeks and demonstrate sincerity to move the stalled Afghan peace process forward.
In the letter, the source added, Ghani urged Pakistan to put Taliban leaders under house arrest, barring them from any activity.
Pakistan must also conduct operations against Haqqani network, destroy Taliban safe havens on its soil and should not treat wounded Taliban fighters, were among other demands mentioned in the letter.
It merits mention that bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries considerably improved since the unity government in Afghanistan.
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