PESHAWAR - The Afghan Taliban say they are not yet ready for peace negotiations with the Ashraf Ghani administration, a Pakistani newspaper reported on Sunday.
The Express Tribune quoted an unnamed source within the militant movement as saying Taliban’s Qatar-based negotiators had conveyed their position to the Pakistan government.
In late October, three envoys of Taliban’s political office arrived in Pakistan to ‘discuss arrests of key members’ and other issues. While concluding their two-week visit, they informed Pakistani officials of their decision.
“The Taliban leaders insisted they could only say whether or not the group will join talks after two or three months,” the source told the newspaper.
Disappointed by the delegation’s unwillingness to resume peace parleys, Pakistani security personnel detained senior Taliban leader Mullah Nanai in Balochistan last month.
The arrest of Nanai, who reportedly opposed reconciliation with Kabul, was apparently aimed at sending a loud and clear message to the militant group to join the peace process or face a crackdown.(Pajhwok)