KABUL - According to reports, Islamabad has turned down president Hamid Karzai’s request to open a political office for the Taliban group in Pakistan.

A Pakistani official who accompanied prime minister Nawaz Sharif during his visit to Kabul has said, Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to evolve a new mechanism that seeks to accelerate efforts to bring peace in Afghanistan.

The official further added that the new mechanism includes options to open a political office for the Taliban group either in Turkey or Saudi Arabia.

“Our role in the Afghan peace process will remain that of a facilitator and not a leader … allowing the Taliban to open an office in Pakistan will be contrary to our principled position,” the official speaking on the condition of anonymity told Pakistani newspaper The Express Tribune.

He also added that an important development over Taliban group’s political office is expected within the next few weeks.

This comes as the Taliban group in Afghanistan closed it’s office in Doha after president Hamid Karzai suspended peace talks, and termed the style in which the Taliban office was inaugurated on June 18 in Doha as an attempt to install a parallel government. (KP)