Senators in the Meshrano Jirga, the Upper House of Parliament, on Tuesday said all countries involved in the situation of Afghanistan, especially, Afghanistan’s neighbors and entire factions of the Taliban should be part of the peace process to help end the 17-year conflict in the war-ravaged country.
The peace process will not have an outcome if all stakeholders are not involved, said the senators.
Meanwhile a number of political parties have said in their view, the peace process is not inclusive.
The Afghan government has expressed hope that face-to-face talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban will be held in the near future. If the Taliban accepts to sit with the Afghan government, this will mark the first direct talks between the two sides.
“We all know that Mullah Rasul faction has split from the Taliban and they have been engaged in battles over the past four years and sustained heavy casualties, but that faction is not involved in peace talks. If God helps and a peace deal is sealed between the government and the Taliban, this should not be in a manner where other individuals and groups join him (Mullah Rasul) and war and insecurity continues in Afghanistan,” said Rahmatullah Achakzai, a senator.
“It should be a globally recognized peace, it shouldn’t be a peace where only one country has a role and other countries remain away,” said Muhayuddin Musnef, another senator.
The senators also said details of the peace talks must be shared with the Afghan people and that the nation’s red lines must be crossed in the peace negotiation talks with the Taliban.
“Our government should be involved in the process... any decision which is taken through (Zalmay) Khalilzad (The US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation) will be harmful to Afghanistan’s national interest and sovereignty,” said senator Zalmay Zabuli.
“Let the government peace delegation negotiate, at least for once, and bring in the views of Pakistan, US and the Taliban,” said senate chief Fazel Hadi Muslimyar.
The government has said it will share all aspects of the peace talks with the people.
“The Afghan government is committed to inform the people of Afghanistan, the political parties and movements, step by step of the progress on the peace process,” said Omid Maisam, deputy spokesman for CEO Abdullah Abdullah.