Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent
October 08, 2008
FORMER Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday emerged in a key role in Saudi Arabian attempts to start peace talks with the Taliban, as momentum for negotiations was boosted further by a frank admission from the most senior UN official in Kabul that "we cannot win militarily".
"To those that talk about (the need for) a military surge (Isay) what we need is a political surge," top UN envoy Kai Eide said.
At the same time, the Pakistani official trying to talk peace with the jihadi militants, Afrasiab Khattak, warned that the situation in his country's highly strategic Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the springboard for much of the Taliban and al-Qa'ida militancy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, "is just like Afghanistan was before 9/11 -- it is totally controlled by militants".
Mr Sharif, held in suspicion by Washington over an attempt when he was prime minister to impose shariah law in Pakistan and assume the Islamic caliphate-era title Ameer-ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful), was reported in Islamabad to be working with King Abdullah on a deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr Sharif has longstanding and close ties with King Abdullah as well as the Taliban. He has long been regarded as Riyadh's foremost ally in the region.
Reports said he had extended a visit to Saudi Arabia to help the kingdom's Government get negotiations under way following a four-day meeting in Mecca between Taliban members and Afghan government officials.
"Nawaz Sharif is serving as the bridge (in these talks)," a leading Pakistani newspaper reported last night.
But at the same time, one of Mr Sharif's senior MPs in Pakistan's national assembly, Rasheed Akbar Niwani, was targeted by a jihadi militant suicide bomber in an attack on his home in the Punjab province -- the third such attack in as many days.
Thirty people were killed and more than 75 -- including Mr Niwani -- were injured in the blast, which was blamed by police on Taliban militants nowoperating widely across the Punjab.
Today's closed-door parliamentary session will go ahead.
Peace talks with the militants, despite US objections, are now regarded as inevitable.
Most experienced analysts see coalition efforts in Afghanistan doomed to failure, largely because of the degree to which the Taliban and al-Qa'ida have been able to consolidate themselves in Pakistan's tribal belt.
King Abdullah has organised four days of meetings in Mecca involving a 17-member Afghan delegation that includes 11 Taliban delegates, two Afghan officials and representatives of the veteran former mujaheddin commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyr, who is closely identified with Iran.
The meeting aims to work towards a peace deal under which the Taliban would share power in Kabul.
Last night, it was disclosed that 50,000 Afghans have been earmarked by Pakistani authorities for expulsion from the al-Qa'ida and Taliban stronghold of Bajaur because of the belief that they are supporting the militants.
October 08, 2008
FORMER Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday emerged in a key role in Saudi Arabian attempts to start peace talks with the Taliban, as momentum for negotiations was boosted further by a frank admission from the most senior UN official in Kabul that "we cannot win militarily".
"To those that talk about (the need for) a military surge (Isay) what we need is a political surge," top UN envoy Kai Eide said.
At the same time, the Pakistani official trying to talk peace with the jihadi militants, Afrasiab Khattak, warned that the situation in his country's highly strategic Federally Administered Tribal Areas, the springboard for much of the Taliban and al-Qa'ida militancy in Afghanistan and Pakistan, "is just like Afghanistan was before 9/11 -- it is totally controlled by militants".
Mr Sharif, held in suspicion by Washington over an attempt when he was prime minister to impose shariah law in Pakistan and assume the Islamic caliphate-era title Ameer-ul-Momineen (Commander of the Faithful), was reported in Islamabad to be working with King Abdullah on a deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mr Sharif has longstanding and close ties with King Abdullah as well as the Taliban. He has long been regarded as Riyadh's foremost ally in the region.
Reports said he had extended a visit to Saudi Arabia to help the kingdom's Government get negotiations under way following a four-day meeting in Mecca between Taliban members and Afghan government officials.
"Nawaz Sharif is serving as the bridge (in these talks)," a leading Pakistani newspaper reported last night.
But at the same time, one of Mr Sharif's senior MPs in Pakistan's national assembly, Rasheed Akbar Niwani, was targeted by a jihadi militant suicide bomber in an attack on his home in the Punjab province -- the third such attack in as many days.
Thirty people were killed and more than 75 -- including Mr Niwani -- were injured in the blast, which was blamed by police on Taliban militants nowoperating widely across the Punjab.
Today's closed-door parliamentary session will go ahead.
Peace talks with the militants, despite US objections, are now regarded as inevitable.
Most experienced analysts see coalition efforts in Afghanistan doomed to failure, largely because of the degree to which the Taliban and al-Qa'ida have been able to consolidate themselves in Pakistan's tribal belt.
King Abdullah has organised four days of meetings in Mecca involving a 17-member Afghan delegation that includes 11 Taliban delegates, two Afghan officials and representatives of the veteran former mujaheddin commander Gulbuddin Hekmatyr, who is closely identified with Iran.
The meeting aims to work towards a peace deal under which the Taliban would share power in Kabul.
Last night, it was disclosed that 50,000 Afghans have been earmarked by Pakistani authorities for expulsion from the al-Qa'ida and Taliban stronghold of Bajaur because of the belief that they are supporting the militants.
Source: The Australian
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