Afghan Taliban delegation in Pak for peace talks: sources

A high-level delegation of Afghan Taliban from its political office in Qatar has arrived in Pakistan to discuss the possibility of restarting the faltering peace talks with Afghanistan.

The confirmation came after media reports said that a three-member rebel delegation arrived in Pakistan on Monday to discuss peace process with Afghanistan. The Qatar political office of the Taliban, however, downplayed the reports which said they were scheduled to discuss terms of peace talks with the Afghan government.

The Taliban said Afghan people have close relations, long border and commercial transactions with Pakistan and a large number of them are living there as refugees, prompting the “Political Office of the Islamic Emirate” to send a high level delegation to Islamabad.

“The esteemed leader of Islamic Emirate has instructed the delegation to discuss issues regarding Afghan refugees, some problems about frontier areas and particularly to discuss the release of Mullah Bradar Akhund and some other prisoners,” the office said.

Senior Taliban leader Baradar was arrested in Karachi in 2010. In 2013, Pakistan said it will release him but rebels claim that he was still in custody. Unconfirmed reports suggested that Taliban delegation may meet Afghan officials to prepare ground for further talks.