US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani on Sunday said Doha and Washington will work together on the Afghanistan peace process and addressing regional security challenges.
Pompeo said Washington will work alongside Doha to address a number of security challenges in the region, including Afghanistan.
Qatar Foreign Minister meanwhile said Doha will work jointly with Washington on Afghan peace, adding that the Taliban’s political office in Qatar is an example of Qatar’s efforts over the Afghan peace process.
Al-Thani and Pompeo made the remarks at the ‘Second Qatar-US Strategic Dialogue’ held in Doha on Sunday.
“The United States and Qatar are working together to address a number of regional security challenges including in Afghanistan and in Iraq,” said Pompeo.
Meanwhile, sources close to Taliban on Sunday said that Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the co-founder of Taliban movement, went to Qatar to participate in Taliban’s political processes and moves.
Sources said still it is not agreed whether Baradar will join Taliban’s political delegation, but soon the group will take a decision in this regard.
Baradar was freed from Pakistan jail in October.
The High Peace Council meanwhile said Baradar could play a crucial role in the Afghan peace talks and asked Taliban to specify their negotiating team.
“Mullah Baradar’s role is very important and we hope he soon will play his role to create trust in Taliban’s leadership team and select their negotiating delegation,” HPC spokesman, Sayed Ehsan Taheri said.
Meanwhile, a number of members of parliament said if Baradar joins Taliban’s political delegation, he could play a constructive role in the Afghan peace talks.
“Because Mullah Baradar was an influential figure during Taliban regime, now if he gains the authority to represent Taliban and enter the talks, he will play an influential role,” MP, Ghulam Farooq Majrooh said.
The Chief Executive office, however, said the individual’s role is not important in the peace process, adding that bringing changes in the peace process depends on changes in Pakistan’s politics.
“I do not believe that freeing or jailing a person can change the process. Changes in the peace process mostly relate to changes in politics in Pakistan,” CE spokesman, Mujib Rahman Rahimi said.
Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, also known as Mullah Baradar Akhund or Mullah Brother, is a co-founder of the Taliban movement in Afghanistan. He was the deputy of Mullah Mohammed Omar, the founding leader of the Taliban, whose death was confirmed in October 2016.
Baradar was captured in Pakistan by a team from Pakistan’s intelligence agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and US’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) officers in February 2010.
