Pakistan engaged with Taliban to get Qatar peace talks back on track

Pakistan is engaged with the Taliban to put the Qatar peace process back on track.

The move from the South Asian country comes after the controversial opening of an office in Doha by the insurgent group that deadlocked efforts for talks in Afghanistan.

A Pakistani official told Dawn News that negotiators were talking to the Taliban leadership to persuade them to get on with the talks with the Americans and the Afghan government.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Aizaz Chaudhry said they have affirmed their commitment to consider all possible measures that would contribute to the reconciliation process for peace in Afghanistan.

He said Pakistan considered these talks as an important step towards national reconciliation in Afghanistan.

According to the report, the Taliban had initially agreed for talks with the United States and Afghanistan's High Peace Council after push from Pakistan.

Taliban opened an office in Doha for the talks, but the row over its name used in the opening ceremony and raising of a flag at the Doha office angered the Karzai government.

Afghanistan outraged over the Taliban's move cancelled the visit of its negotiators to Qatar and suspended talks with the US on a bilateral security arrangement.

According to the report, later, the Afghan Government agreed to join the Doha process following US efforts to salvage the talks, but Taliban leaders have yet to come up with their formal response.

However, Taliban insisted that its intention to use the office was for improving relations with the world countries.

The insurgent group added that their insistence on the controversial name could still prove to be sticking points for the beginning of the dialogue, the report added.