A former Afghan diplomat on Sunday acknowledged Pakistan played a quiet and covert role in recent US-Taliban peace negotiations.
“It perhaps could’ve been best advised to continue with such hands-off approach,” tweeted Dr. Omar Zakhilwal, ex-ambassador to Pakistan.
He took issue with a recent statement from Taliban that they had been invited to Islamabad for talks with Prime Minister Imran Khan and possibly the Saudi crown prince.
Zakhilwal wrote the Foreign Office had so far expressed its unawareness about Taliban’s planned meeting with Mohammad bin Salman, who arrived to a red-carpet welcome in Islamabad yesterday.
The situation had not only deepened the already abundant suspicions and mistrust between the two countries but also within the region at large, he added.
“Now that Afghans including Taliban have agreed on an inclusive intra-Afghan dialogue for a lasting, nationwide and dignified peace, all regional countries are best served to step back and allow this to happen.”
