Space Travel News  
THE STANS
Afghan Taliban leadership is in Pakistan, Islamabad says
by Staff Writers
Islamabad (AFP) March 3, 2016


A top Pakistani official has said for the first time publicly that the Afghan Taliban's leadership enjoys a safe haven inside his country, which Islamabad uses as a "lever" to pressure the group into talks with Kabul.

The admission by Pakistan's foreign affairs advisor Sartaj Aziz comes after years of official denials by Islamabad that it offers shelter or exerts any influence over the Taliban, and amid a fresh push for direct peace talks.

The Taliban's 14-year-insurgency against Afghan and NATO forces has claimed tens of thousands of civilian and military lives.

Speaking at the Council on Foreign Affairs in Washington on Tuesday, Aziz said: "We have some influence on them because their leadership is in Pakistan and they get some medical facilities, their families are here.

"So we can use those levers to pressurise them to say: 'Come to the table'," he added, according to a transcript on the think tank's website.

The remarks confirm what has become an open secret in diplomatic circles, particularly since Pakistan began brokering direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban last summer.

The negotiations faltered after Afghan intelligence leaked the news the group's founder Mullah Omar had died in 2013.

The Taliban later confirmed they lied about Omar's death for two years, sowing divisions among the militants and anger at his successor Mullah Akhtar Mansour for leading the cover-up.

Most of the group's leaders are believed to be residing in the southwestern city of Quetta, with others in northwest Peshawar and southern Karachi.

- 'No comment' -

Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China held their fourth round of talks aimed at reviving direct peace talks between Kabul and the Taliban late last month.

The four-country group invited Taliban representatives to return to negotiations by the first week of March, though a spokesman for the militants later said they had not yet received an invitation.

Aziz said Islamabad had used the threat of expulsion to force the Taliban into the first round of talks.

"We already -- before the 7th July meeting last year -- we had to use some of these levers and restricted their movements, restricted their access to hospital and other facilities, and threatened them that if you do not come forward and talk, then obviously we will at least expel you," he said.

Aziz said Pakistan's role was as a "facilitator" and it was up to Kabul to make negotiations fruitful.

"We are not the actual negotiators. So I hope as we go along our sincerity in this task will be recognised, and with the hope that Afghan government will play a more active role for the success of these talks."

A Foreign Office spokesman said he could not comment on Aziz's remarks at a regular press briefing Thursday.

"Aziz said whatever he had to say and we do not comment on statements made by our leadership," Nafees Zakaria told reporters in Islamabad.

There is no confirmation yet of a date for peace talks with the Taliban, Zakaria added, adding that "efforts are on".


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
News From Across The Stans






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
THE STANS
Turkey warns of 'further measures' against Kurdish fighters in Syria
Ankara (AFP) Feb 26, 2016
Turkey is prepared to take further measures against Kurdish fighters in Syria beyond its current artillery bombardment and does not rule out air strikes on their positions, a senior official said on Friday. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin told foreign reporters at a briefing that Ankara was dismayed at the level of support given by the United States to the People's Protection Units (YPG ... read more


THE STANS
At last second, SpaceX delays satellite launch again

Arianespace Soyuz to launch 2 Galileo satellites in May

SpaceX postpones rocket launch again

Russian rocket engines ban could leave US space program in limbo

THE STANS
Revisit NASA's Mars Pathfinder and Rover In 360 Viewer

Opportunity Mars Rover Goes Six-Wheeling up a Ridge

Jarosite in the Noctis Labyrinthus Region of Mars

Trace Gas Orbiter and Schiaparelli are joined

THE STANS
NASA May Return to Moon, But Only After Cutting Off ISS

Lunar love: When science meets artistry

New Lunar Exhibit Features NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Imagery

NASA releases strange 'music' heard by 1969 astronauts

THE STANS
The Frozen Canyons of Pluto's North Pole

The Frozen Canyons of Pluto's North Pole

Search narrows for Planet Nine

Pluto's 'Hulk-like' Moon Charon: A Possible Ancient Ocean?

THE STANS
Imaging Technique May Help Discover Earth-Like Planets Around Other Stars

Newly discovered planet in the Hyades cluster could shed light on planetary evolution

Imaging technique may help discover Earth-like planets

Longest-Lasting Stellar Eclipse Discovered

THE STANS
US Aerospace Company Wins Contract to Replace Russian Rocket Engines

Welding Wonder Delivers Confidence for SLS Core Stage

Aerojet Rocketdyne to develop high-powered Nested Hall Thruster system

Simplifying supersonic nozzle pressure monitoring

THE STANS
Logistics Rule on Tiangong 2

China to launch second space lab Tiangong-2 in Q3

China's moon lander Chang'e-3 enters 28th lunar day

Staying Alive on Tiangong 2

THE STANS
Small Asteroid to Pass Close to Earth March 8

Should we work together in the race to mine the solar system

NASA Invites Public to Send Artwork to an Asteroid

Puzzling asteroid observations explained by destruction of asteroids close to Sun









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.