A three-member delegation of the Afghan Taliban arrived in Pakistan to discuss peace talks with the Afghan Government and recent arrests of high-profile Taliban leaders by Pakistani authorities.
The trio consists former ministers in Taliban government Mullah Salam Hanifi and Mullah Jan Mohammed and ex-Taliban ambassador to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia Maulvi Shahabuddin Dilawar.
Sources in Taliban and Pakistan officials confirmed that the delegation arrived this week and held meetings with “relevant quarters”. This is the first high level contact by the militants with Pakistan since Taliban held at least two round of talks with officials of Afghan government in Qatar. Pakistan was not part of the talks.
“Pakistan has been pushing Taliban to shun violence and enter in peace negotiation with Kabul. It welcomes any move to bring peace in Afghanistan so that all refugees should go back,” a senior official of foreign office said on anonymity.
Sources said Pakistan was keeping the distance with the talks to let rebels and Kabul directly sort out their problems. But Islamabad is keeping pressure on rebels through different ways including arresting some of their leaders. Those recently arrested include Ahmadullah Muti alias Mullah Nanai.