Involving stakeholders key to Afghan peace talks

The recent talks between the United States and the Taliban, the first of its kind, in Qatar broke many a stalemate. But the Taliban has intensified their attacks against the Afghan government in total disregard to the outcome of the talks.

The first ever talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban were held on July 7, 2015, in Murree near Islamabad under the supervision of US, Pakistani and Chinese representatives. However, no progress has been made.

To persuade the Taliban to agree to the second round of peace talks with the Afghan government, which were stalled after Taliban leader Mullah Omar's death, the Quadrilateral Coordination Group comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US was established in December 2015. But it could not break the stalemate. Worse, the QCG suffered a blow owing to the mistrust between Pakistan and the US after US drones targeted Omar's successor Mullah Mansour in Baluchistan, Pakistan, which Islamabad said was a violation of its territorial integrity.