Officials of the High Peace Council (HPC) have expressed concerns about the unconditional release of Taliban prisoners in Pakistan. Recently Islamabad said they would release all Taliban leaders in captivity including the second-in-command Mullah Baradar. Afghan officials say they do not know whereabouts of those already released, and fear they might end up joining the insurgency. According to Pakistani media reports, their officials have said they cannot push the released Taliban to talk with Kabul.
It once again proves the so-called shift in strategy was our over optimism when last month Pakistan announced release of Taliban leaders during the visit of HPC delegation.
The Government in Kabul called it a breakthrough and significant progress when Islamabad announced to release some Taliban detainees after HPC Chairman Salahuddin Rabbani called on Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Army Chief General Kayani last month. Ten Taliban leaders were announced to be released, and Afghan officials do not know their whereabouts. Indeed Pakistan can play vital role in Afghanistan’s reconciliation efforts for a negotiated end to the Taliban insurgency. But the question is how could it have been a shift in strategy or move to support Kabul’s peace efforts if nobody knows about location of the released Taliban leaders?
President Karzai had been asking Islamabad for access to the detained Taliban leadership for talks. And the announcement last month was warmly welcomed in Kabul, taken as a sign of serious willingness for the first time. Now that optimism seems to have been premature.
There could be certain reasons. With the latest statements from unnamed officials in Pakistani press, a message is being sent that all will not come in a free package.
The Afghan government and Peace Council should follow up the issue with top leadership in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to ensure that we would be better without such an unconditional release when Kabul does not know where the Taliban are.
Pakistan would not lightly compromise with a shift in their decade-old strategy of harboring Taliban leadership. They would certainly put political conditions for Kabul which could be entirely separate from the issue.
A peaceful end to the conflict in Afghanistan through negotiations is in Pakistan’s best interests. The military establishment in Rawalpindi knows it.
HPC needs to work out a more coherent strategy and avoid the domestic agendas of the current administration to give a final blow to this last chance of any serious progress on the hopes of a negotiated end to the insurgency.