Islamabad has decided to let all Taliban detainees walk free, including second-in-command Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar who is recognized as a dejure leader to hold peace talks with Kabul and its foreign allies. However, there is no clear framework to determine when and how they will be released.
Will they be set free at once or during a period, considering the outputs of such move, yet there is no answer and Pakistani officials have also evaded answering, so far. The Foreign Secretary, Jalil Abbas Jilani, addressing the media in the Abu Dhabi on Friday after a meeting with US special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, David Pearce and Afghan Deputy Foreign minister on the political affairs, Mr, Jawad Ludin, disclosed his government’s decision.
Pakistan has followed the process of release Taliban detainee in November after a visit of the Afghan High Peace Council to Islamabad, asking for its serious steps in supporting Kabul reach to a peace deal with armed opposition. Since then, several Taliban key figures have been released, including Mullah Nooruddin Turabi, the former Minister of Promotion of Virtue and Suppression during Taliban regime. But Mullah Abdul Ghani Brader has remained in custody though Mr, Abbas Jilani clearly heralded his release. As expected, Kabul has welcomed the decision but said that release process should be continued in close coordination with it. Officials have told that it should be ensured that they would not rejoin militants and organize attacks inside the country.
No doubt, the release of these detainees has been a long pending demand of Afghanistan and is being billed by Pakistan as an articulation of its commitment to the reconciliation process next door. But the situation is really complicated. Though several Taliban leaders were released previously there is no report about their effort of making a peace deal or at least showing interest to make deal with Afghan government. Despite sincere efforts of Kabul, while welcoming the release of their fellows from AfPak custodies, Taliban has shown no sign of reconciliatory position, instead pressed on their inflexible stance.
This situation has worried political opposition. The National Coalition, after the statement of Mr. Abbas Jilani, labeled the decision as alarming. Mohammad Aasim, one of the leaders of the coalition has told that Taliban never accepted to negotiate with government. So, why Taliban should be given tribute? If they released without any plan, why they were arrested in the first place?