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HPC Draws Up New Peace Strategy For Talks With Taliban

The High Peace Council (HPC) has said that it has defined a new peace process strategy which they hope will influence Taliban insurgents to join peace negotiations with the Afghan government.

The new peace process strategy will not involve other countries, the HPC said on Sunday.

“We are trying to find ways that could help us engage in direct talks with the Taliban in order to bring them to the negotiating table and to reach comprehensive reconciliation through inter-Afghan dialogue,” said HPC spokesman Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar.

This comes shortly after the sudden death of the HPC’s Sayed Ahmad Gailani - leaving the peace council without a chairman.

But on Sunday President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman Shahhussain Murtazawi said government is working on finding a replacement.  

“In the first step there is a need to appoint a new chairman of the High Peace Council, on the other hand, (the process) needs to be reviewed to make it capable of dealing with the issues with harmony and integration,” said Murtazawi.

The HPC has lost two of its of chairmen since it was established in 2010. Gailani’s predecessor Burhanuddin Rabbani was assassinated in 2011.  

There is speculation however, that peace efforts by the HPC in the provinces have lost momentum.

“So far our central office has not sent us their programs for the current year, we shall see what programs our central office want to follow, then we will be able to make a decision on the basis of the programs of our central office,” said the head of the HPC office in Kunduz, Habibullah Muhtashim.

Over the past fifteen years, Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace negotiation talks is said to have been one of the key elements that could persuade the Afghan Taliban to endorse purposeful peace talks with the government in Kabul.

However Kabul persistently blamed Islamabad of not contributing effectively and sincerely.

But the peace council also confirms that brokering groundbreaking talks with the Taliban would not be an easy task unless Pakistan plays a positive role in the process.

Many in Afghanistan believe that Pakistan wields major influence over the Taliban and that it can bring the group to the peace table.

HPC Draws Up New Peace Strategy For Talks With Taliban

The High Peace Council has said that the new approach means no other countries will be involved in the peace talks process.

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The High Peace Council (HPC) has said that it has defined a new peace process strategy which they hope will influence Taliban insurgents to join peace negotiations with the Afghan government.

The new peace process strategy will not involve other countries, the HPC said on Sunday.

“We are trying to find ways that could help us engage in direct talks with the Taliban in order to bring them to the negotiating table and to reach comprehensive reconciliation through inter-Afghan dialogue,” said HPC spokesman Mohammad Ismail Qasimyar.

This comes shortly after the sudden death of the HPC’s Sayed Ahmad Gailani - leaving the peace council without a chairman.

But on Sunday President Ashraf Ghani’s deputy spokesman Shahhussain Murtazawi said government is working on finding a replacement.  

“In the first step there is a need to appoint a new chairman of the High Peace Council, on the other hand, (the process) needs to be reviewed to make it capable of dealing with the issues with harmony and integration,” said Murtazawi.

The HPC has lost two of its of chairmen since it was established in 2010. Gailani’s predecessor Burhanuddin Rabbani was assassinated in 2011.  

There is speculation however, that peace efforts by the HPC in the provinces have lost momentum.

“So far our central office has not sent us their programs for the current year, we shall see what programs our central office want to follow, then we will be able to make a decision on the basis of the programs of our central office,” said the head of the HPC office in Kunduz, Habibullah Muhtashim.

Over the past fifteen years, Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace negotiation talks is said to have been one of the key elements that could persuade the Afghan Taliban to endorse purposeful peace talks with the government in Kabul.

However Kabul persistently blamed Islamabad of not contributing effectively and sincerely.

But the peace council also confirms that brokering groundbreaking talks with the Taliban would not be an easy task unless Pakistan plays a positive role in the process.

Many in Afghanistan believe that Pakistan wields major influence over the Taliban and that it can bring the group to the peace table.

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