KABUL: The process of formation of an all-inclusive government in war-torn Afghanistan was “difficult and complex” but the stakeholders were “hopeful” of achieving the goal, Pakistan said.
Speaking to a Pakistan-based news channel from Kabul, Islamabad’s ambassador in Afghanistan, Mansoor Ahmed Khan, said engagement with the Taliban under the peace process was ongoing for the last two years and the chief concern was that only an inclusive government could cure the ills plating the country and ensure lasting peace.
Earlier this week, Suhail Shaheen, a Taliban spokesman and negotiator, told The Associated Press that the militants would hold talks in the coming days aimed at forming an “open, inclusive Islamic government”.
But the world fears for the cause if the militant group attempts to enforce its writ by brute force, Khan said.
He said since the government of former president Ashraf Ghani was removed and the group took over earlier this week, consultations are underway between the Taliban and Afghan leadership, including Ghani’s predecessor Hamid Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, a senior Taliban leader, for the formation of an inclusive government.
When asked if he was hopeful of the establishment of a settlement, Khan said: “I have talked to both sides and my opinion is that they are hopeful of moving closer to that goal in the next few days.”
“We are also hopeful that both parties will try to achieve it, but that it will be a difficult and complex process.”
Sharing his assessment of the potential impediments, the ambassador said it was difficult because there were complex ethnic dimensions in Afghanistan. An while the Taliban called themselves representative of the Pashtun population, there were non-Pashtun influential groups as well, he added.
“And when we talk about an inclusive government through political settlement, a major issue is what sort of constitution is acceptable [to both sides]. The stakeholders have different opinions.
Human rights is also an important issue that remains to be discussed and the inclusivity element is also needed to be addressed.”
Khan, who had met the Afghan leadership over the last few days, said the process was a complex one because bringing all these groups to one point was difficult.
He was also asked about whether the Taliban are showing flexibility in the talks. To which he said the negotiations held with the Taliban in the last two years were very clear and the international community’s aspirations of an inclusive political setup were conveyed to them.
“A setup has rule of law which also respects human rights, women’s rights and according to the wishes of the people of Afghanistan will be acceptable to the world [is sought],” he said.
