This article is an attempt tobring to fore important aspects of the issues related to the proposed talks among the Afghan government, Taliban and the US. Of special importance is the Pakistani stand regarding these issues.
The official opening of the Doha Office of Taliban was in the making for the past three years. Now it is open- sort of. Some ranking Taliban already there, away from the sound of their explosive devices, death and destruction, enjoy a quiet life in Doha the capital of a country in love with its world image and wishful of gaining fame as mediator of great political talks and serious political stands. The sheikdom has been thrown into the lap of one of its princes, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, a 33 year old son of the older Sheik who himself had inherited rule of the tiny golf state as a result of a white coup from his father.

The new young Sheik takes over at a time that his country a base for a famous Arab TV, Aljazeera has taken upon itself to keep on to its position in world media politically and to host peace talks with Taliban. It is still not clear who the Taliban will talk to as both, the United States and the Afghan government, have their separate interests involved. For some time this week and last, it was thought that the United States wanted to carry on the talks as it had agreed on the opening of the office in Doha. President Karzai of Afghanistan felt sore on two issues; one, the opening of the office under the name of Emirate of Afghanistan with the Taliban flag and the possibility of the exclusion of Afghan government from the talks. He strongly objected to these and diplomatically forced the United States to come up with explanations in favor of Karzai namely striking out the name of Emirate of Afghanistan for the Office and stating that the Afghan government would be the principle party in the proposed talks. Karzai, as a matter of fact had legal and diplomatic rights to object to the use of the name Emirate and the need for his government to be the principal party in negotiations. Taliban, on the other hand wanted to exploit the situation in asserting themselves, not as a renegade group, but a political entity and even a government named Emirate. As Afghanistan has a legal government and a constitution, Taliban should not be given a chance to claim political power or otherwise before submitting to the values of the Afghan constitution.

But all of this seems to be only decorative issues and juggling for position and points in the real talks when and sometimes one wonders if, they take place. The real issue is establishing of who among the Taliban are the US and the Afghan government going to talk to and what legal status do the Taliban representatives carry and what guarantees there are that what they agree upon is what the so-called Taliban leadership agrees to or commits to its implementation.

Recently a member of the Taliban group namely Mr. Motasim Agha Jaan, a one-time an office worker on political issues for Mulla Omar Mojahid the leader of Taliban and now going by the title of head of the political commission of Taliban movement had an extensive interview with TOLO Afghan TV. His statements were revealing of many facts- important ones, to be considered before the start of the talks. The salient points of this interview included the following information:

Taliban movement consists of mainly two groups, the moderates, to which he, Motasim Agha Jaan aspires and the radical belligerent group. The leader for both is Mulla Omar Mojahid, but they differ widely on their tactics for achieving their goals. The Moderate Taliban copy almost word for word, what the Afghan government states regarding security of the country. They believe that suicidal attacks and violence against civilian population are contrary to the interests of the people and are against the tenets of Islam. On the other hand, the radical group believes in violence as a means of achieving its goals. Violence, they believe should be used against foreign forces in the country as well as Afghan forces who they call collaborators of foreign powers and interests.

He further stated that Taliban also had grievances in that they were not given a chance to promote their platform, defend their policies, participate in political process or have the freedom of expression because their leaders are black-listed and carry enormous amounts of prizes on their heads.

He mentioned that it was three years since he had directly contacted Mulla Omar, otherwise his indirect contacts continue through go �in-betweens. What the interviewer failed to ask and Mr. Mr. Agha Jaan did not explain was how did Mullah Omar agree to the tactics of both the moderate and the belligerent Taliban at the same time? Can he not make up his mind?

Nevertheless, the interview was revealing of issues that so far had not been covered regarding Taliban and what especially, according to Agha Jaan, the moderate Taliban waned for Afghanistan which was not different from what the Afghan government wants and proposes to do. He said the moderate Taliban would value the choices of the Afghan nation and would not insist on their rigid stands. He further admitted that Taliban also had made mistakes, a good example of which was the destruction of the statues of Budha which according to him had already been defaced in the past.

However, people question seriously the insistence both of the US and the Afghan government on talks with the Taliban. Many are of the opinion that the Taliban movement, especially the radical and belligerent arm of it could not be expected to give up on their extreme policies. For example if they do accept the Afghan constitution, then they should automatically accept laying down their arms and settling for peace. But as is evident, Pakistan has a big influence over Afghan Taliban a proof of which would be the fact that the Taliban who have made it to Doha, have all gone there from Pakistan. Another issue of concern is the fact that recently Taliban had sent a delegation to Iran for talks with the Iranian Islamic government. Many Afghans are apprehensive about Pakistani and Iranian intentions regarding Afghanistan and look suspiciously on any support the Taliban may receive from these two neighbors of their country.

Issues such as human rights including rights of women make important the talks more difficult as the Taliban, as observed in their past expressions, adhere to an ancient policy that as per the world opinion, is far away from the values of the 21st century.

But aside from all other issues involved, the recent so-called awakening of patriotic sentiments in the Afghan government, has made Pakistan take up a belligerent diplomatic stand against Mr. Karzai and his government so much so that Pakistani diplomats have even started talking about the irrelevancy of the Afghan president and looking into getting even closer to what is known as elements of the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. That alliance, according to Pakistani thinking, would make Afghanistan fold back its extended hand of friendship to India and would allow Pakistan to be represented in the policies of a new government that would replace Karzai's administration by the end of his term. Such schemes by now are well recognized by the Afghan public who hope to curtail foreign influence in Afghanistan during this administration and future governments there.

Pakistan wants to play a spectators role in the talks with Afghan Taliban showing on the surface the world that they are impartial. How can that be? And how is it that the world could not see through the Pakistani scheme that has undergone so much preparation before the actual talks with Taliban (a movement Pakistan helped create and even officially recognized as a government for Afghanistan) the Afghan government and the US? What would now happen under the nose of Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, the news ruler of Qatar would be of utmost importance in the politics of Afghanistan and in Pakistan as well as the United States and the region. 06/28/2013