Breaking the ice, Islamabad reaches out to Kabul

[H!TchHiker]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have resumed high-level contacts rekindling hopes for normalisation of their bilateral relationship.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani in Ashgabat on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Transport and the outgoing army chief, General Raheel Sharif, spoke to Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah on the phone.

Afghan Taliban not ready for talks, Pakistan told

The prime minister and the army chief contacted the Afghan leaders at a time when Islamabad has stepped up efforts to encourage the Taliban to join the peace process.

The Express Tribune has learnt that there had been some diplomatic efforts this month when a three-member Taliban delegation was in Pakistan’s capital to explore peace prospects.

“The Taliban’s Qatar office is now considering a strategy for possible political negotiations,” a member of the Taliban office in Qatar told The Express Tribune this week.

Nawaz and Ghani discussed peace prospects and the former ‘appreciated’ Afghan government’s efforts for peace and stability in the strife-torn country. “[He] also expressed support to the peace deal between Afghan government and Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan,” the PM office said in a statement.

Afghan Taliban consider options on resuming talks

The prime minister said a politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process is the most viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan will continue its serious efforts for facilitating the peace process, including through the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,” he told Ghani.

The chief military spokesman, Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, confirmed that the army chief made a ‘farewell call’ to Abdullah. “Next talk with Dr Ashraf Ghani is planned,” Gen Bajwa, who heads the Inter-Services Public Relations, told The Express Tribune in a text message.

Earlier the Afghan chief executive’s office tweeted: “Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif made a phone call to [Afghan] chief executive as a farewell discussion last night.”

Afghan Taliban seek Chinese role in talks

The meeting in Ashgabat has assumed importance because of the current tense relationship which has also affected bilateral contacts. Afghanistan last month announced it would stay away from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Islamabad shortly after India boycotted the summit in view of tension along the Line of Control (LoC).

On Friday, Afghanistan protested against Pakistan’s decision to introduce the flag-lowering ceremony on Chaman, the second major border crossing between the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2016.

 

[shah1398]

Pakistan and Afghanistan have resumed high-level contacts rekindling hopes for normalisation of their bilateral relationship.

This is need of the hour. There is nothing in the world that can not be solved through dialogue. As long as we talk, not only it clear misunderstandings but also the chances of hostility are the least.

 

[pakistani342]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan have resumed high-level contacts rekindling hopes for normalisation of their bilateral relationship.

On Saturday, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met Afghan President Dr Ashraf Ghani in Ashgabat on the sidelines of the Global Conference on Sustainable Transport and the outgoing army chief, General Raheel Sharif, spoke to Afghan Chief Executive Dr Abdullah Abdullah on the phone.

Afghan Taliban not ready for talks, Pakistan told

The prime minister and the army chief contacted the Afghan leaders at a time when Islamabad has stepped up efforts to encourage the Taliban to join the peace process.

The Express Tribune has learnt that there had been some diplomatic efforts this month when a three-member Taliban delegation was in Pakistan’s capital to explore peace prospects.

“The Taliban’s Qatar office is now considering a strategy for possible political negotiations,” a member of the Taliban office in Qatar told The Express Tribune this week.

Nawaz and Ghani discussed peace prospects and the former ‘appreciated’ Afghan government’s efforts for peace and stability in the strife-torn country. “[He] also expressed support to the peace deal between Afghan government and Hizb-e-Islami Afghanistan,” the PM office said in a statement.

Afghan Taliban consider options on resuming talks

The prime minister said a politically negotiated settlement through an Afghan owned and Afghan led peace process is the most viable option for lasting peace in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan will continue its serious efforts for facilitating the peace process, including through the Quadrilateral Cooperation Group (QCG) of Afghanistan, China, Pakistan and the US,” he told Ghani.

The chief military spokesman, Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, confirmed that the army chief made a ‘farewell call’ to Abdullah. “Next talk with Dr Ashraf Ghani is planned,” Gen Bajwa, who heads the Inter-Services Public Relations, told The Express Tribune in a text message.

Earlier the Afghan chief executive’s office tweeted: “Pakistan Chief of Army Staff Raheel Sharif made a phone call to [Afghan] chief executive as a farewell discussion last night.”

Afghan Taliban seek Chinese role in talks

The meeting in Ashgabat has assumed importance because of the current tense relationship which has also affected bilateral contacts. Afghanistan last month announced it would stay away from the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit in Islamabad shortly after India boycotted the summit in view of tension along the Line of Control (LoC).

On Friday, Afghanistan protested against Pakistan’s decision to introduce the flag-lowering ceremony on Chaman, the second major border crossing between the two countries.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 27th, 2016.

The Afghans will say Pakistan always takes the horse to water but doesn't let it drink.

 

[H!TchHiker]

The Afghans will say Pakistan always takes the horse to water but doesn't let it drink.

Lolz.. Even if let it be they will say the water was contaminated intentionally..

 

[Thorough Pro]

futile effort, dogs can never stop barking. Afghanistan opposed Pakistan's independence and has always created problems for us. We should made a deal with USSR to divvy it up between the two and get rid of this cancer in the arse for ever.

 

[Kabira]

Pakistan can never compete with USA and India because what Afghanis want is free money for temporary well being. That's how they are as admitted by themselves. If you look at documented history of region. They even signed durrand line for money, can you imagine? And now USA finance 100% of their budget. And Afghanis are blackmailing them to not leave otherwise this time even ISIS will take over and attack American once again.

Afghan leader to his American counterpart

"He bowed his head and said, ‘We know you will leave. But we are a poor people and you a rich people. We will try to get as much from you and we can before you do leave. Please don’t think too badly of my people. This is our way.”

Unfortunately people like these have zero respect anywhere, even among their own allies.

"The aide breezed in nearly an hour late, fluttering his hand about some minor difficulty with his new armored Mercedes. He was young, maybe mid-20s, wearing a superbly tailored three-piece, light-weight wool suit, and flashing a gold Rolex on his wrist, which he kept checking every few minutes. I kept thinking I should check my wallet. This guy would be herding goats in the mountains if it weren’t for America’s generosity."

 

[Khanate]

Pakistan can never compete with USA and India because what Afghanis want is free money for temporary well being. That's how they are as admitted by themselves. If you look at documented history of region. They even signed durrand line for money, can you imagine? And now USA finance 100% of their budget. And Afghanis are blackmailing them to not leave otherwise this time even ISIS will take over and attack American once again.

Afghan leader to his American counterpart

"He bowed his head and said, ‘We know you will leave. But we are a poor people and you a rich people. We will try to get as much from you and we can before you do leave. Please don’t think too badly of my people. This is our way.”

Unfortunately people like these have zero respect anywhere, even among their own allies.

"The aide breezed in nearly an hour late, fluttering his hand about some minor difficulty with his new armored Mercedes. He was young, maybe mid-20s, wearing a superbly tailored three-piece, light-weight wool suit, and flashing a gold Rolex on his wrist, which he kept checking every few minutes. I kept thinking I should check my wallet. This guy would be herding goats in the mountains if it weren’t for America’s generosity."

That last quote is from "The Karzai betrayal" (Fox News). Its worth a read if you haven't read it before.

The rest of Afghanistan lives in dirt houses while the Kabuli elites line their pockets.