NOWSHERA - Afghanistan is seeking Maulana Samiul Haq help in resuming peace talks with Afghan Taliban, which were halted after the Taliban confirmed the death of their leader Mulla Omar last week.
Afghanistan’s ambassador in Pakistan, Janan Mosazai, along with a delegation met the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (Sami) chief and held a four-hour long meeting with him at his residence in Akora Khattak.
It was the first-ever meeting of Maulana Sami with any high ranking Afghan diplomat since 9/11. The Afghan ambassador conveyed President Ashraf Ghani’s message to Sami, requesting him to play his role in resumption of the suspended talks with Afghan Taliban.
It has also been learnt that Afghan foreign minister also talked to the Maulana on phone during the meeting.
Talking to media, Musazai said the role of religious scholars was crucial to bringing peace to the war-torn Afghanistan and confirmed he had requested Sami to play his role in resumption of Pakistan-brokered talks. “Samiul Haq enjoys great support in Afghanistan and Pakistan and was teacher of all the Afghan Taliban. It is the wish of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani and the people that JUI-S chief should play his role in bringing peace to Afghanistan,” he added. The JUI-S chief appreciated Mosazai’s struggle for restoration of peace in Afghanistan and agreed to play his role in the matter.
Sami urged Pakistan, Afghanistan and Taliban to show seriousness as Afghanistan was passing through a critical stage after the death of Mulla Omar.
Sami said Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Taliban could only succeed in their endeavours if they broke free from outside interference. Sami said he had advised the Afghan ambassador to let the Taliban forge unity among their ranks as he believed it would not only benefit Afghanistan, but also the region. He urged the Taliban to pave the way for peace talks or else it would be disloyalty to the blood of hundreds of martyrs. “The due demands of the Taliban should be seriously considered and this opportunity for restoration of peace must not be missed at all as Taliban have shown willingness to engage in peace talks,” said the JUI-S chief, who also runs popular seminary Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak
Pakistan had hosted a meeting between the Afghan government and Afghan Taliban representatives in Murree on July 7, 2015, which was also attended by representatives from China and the United States.
The second round of the talks, which was scheduled to be held in Pakistan on July 31, 2015 was postponed after reports regarding the death of Mulla Omar and the ensuing leadership crisis among Taliban.