Militants struck Kabul twice in a week. The attack on the traffic police headquarters on Jan 21 lasted eight hours. Last week the National Directorate of Security was targeted.
Militants struck Kabul twice in a week. The attack on the traffic police headquarters on Jan 21 lasted eight hours. Last week the National Directorate of Security was targeted. Does it have anything to do with the release ofTaleban prisoners in Pakistan?Mohammad Husain Natiqi, political analyst, is of the view that “an organised and effective mechanism (should) be established” to monitor the release of Taleban prisoners. “Responsible institutions like the Peace High Council are unaware of the destiny of released prisoners,” he said.
In his opinion it is possible that Pakistani authorities already have a plan for the “emancipation of prisoners in an organised manner”, which when implemented will give them “benefits”.
Several senior Taleban were released by Pakistan in December last year in an effort, it said, intended to kickstart the stalled peace negotiations in Afghanistan. The prisoner release was announced during the visit of a delegation from the High Peace Council to Islamabad.
On Jan 19, Pakistani Foreign Secretary JalilAbbasJilani said Pakistan has set in motion the process of releasing all those Afghan detainees who could help push the peace process in Afghanistan. Some Afghan officials have said they are hoping the released Taleban can serve as intermediaries with the Taleban leadership.
However, members of parliament (MPs) and political analysts have cautioned greater circumspection. Their argument being that without the means of tracking the released prisoners, those released last year could have returned to the Taleban.
Expressing concern
GulPadshahMajidi, MP from Paktia province, appealed to Pakistan to “hand over the Taleban prisoners to Afghanistan based on international principles.”
Majidiwas certain the unconditional pardon granted to Taleban prisoners would create “more security problems’. “Our concerns and the concerns of the Afghan nation are proper,” he said. “Nobody knows where the released prisoners live. The international principles are that they should be returned to the country. They could have a disastrous effect on peace (efforts). Unfortunately, the government specially the Peace High Council has not taken it seriously.”
The issue has sharpened the opposition against the government.
Mohammad Asem, an engineer and senior member of the National Coalition Party, said: “Armed opponents (of the government) and Taleban have not been ready in the last two years to talk to the Afghan government, and support efforts that have been made by the international community to push the peace process forward Afghanistan. In such a situation what is the purpose of giving amnesty to Taleban prisoners?” He said the decisions were not according to a pre-determined strategy but within a “vague sphere”.
The Peace High Council has confirmed it has not been kept informed by Pakistan.
Mohammad IsmailQasemyar, adviser to the Council in international relations, told Killid:”A number of 20 to 26 Taleban were released from Pakistani jails over two phases. The government of Pakistan has not given any details to the Peace High Council, whether the released Taleban are living with their families in Pakistan or they have gone to Afghanistan.”
Qasemyarsaid the Council would request Pakistan for information on the whereabouts of the released prisoners. He said their release had been decided with the conditional support of the High Peace Council.
Commenting on Pakistan’s plans to release more Afghan Taleban, Deputy Head of the High Peace Council AttaullahLudin said it must be done in “agreement” with the Afghan government and Council. “Their whereabouts (after release) must be known. If not the released Taleban (could) go back to the front, and thiswill not be a good message for peace,” Ludin added.
