Tuesday brought two important announcements and one annoying incident for the people of Afghanistan. Attack on Haji Muhammad Muhammad Muhaqiq was annoying for the nation as it established the fact that life of influential figures are still at a great peril and their targeted killing continues. Thankfully Muhaqiq, who is a crucial member of the biggest coalition in opposition, the National Front, chairman of Hezbi-e Wahdat Islami and a prominent member of lower house of the parliament, survived the attack. In case of his death, Afghanistan could fall into a chaotic situation controlling which would be difficult for the government.

On the same day, however, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) achieved a milestone by taking over full security responsibilities of the country from International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) under the final process of security transition. Completion of the process was announced through a ceremony in which President Hamid Karzai and NATO Secretary General, Anders Fogh Rasmussen participated and expressed optimism about the capability of ANSF.

Now that ANSF has the control of 95 districts of Afghanistan in its hand, the real challenge for it is not only maintaining the current level of security but also improving the situation by driving away Taliban and fighters of other terrorist groups from those districts. The challenge, undoubtedly, seems very difficult especially at times when insurgency has already spiked up to a very dangerous level in the country and ANSF complaints of not having enough heavy and modern weaponry, tanks and aircrafts on hand persist. Despite all these, the existence of 352,000-strong force and transfer of security responsibilities to it can be deemed asignificant achievement for the Afghan government and the international community.

Another important announcement came from Qatari capital Doha where Taliban officially inaugurated their office. After much effort, Taliban have been persuaded to have an office the main purpose of which, near Kabul and Washington, will be ending the 12-year long conflict in Afghanistan through negotiations.

The Taliban have named their Doha office as Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. With that name before the eyes, it is seems like Taliban’s Emirate of Afghanistan which was demolished in 2001 has revived.

To negotiate peace with Afghan government and the US, Maulvi Sayed Tayyab Agha, Qazi Din Muhammad Hanif, Maulvi Zahid Ahmadzai, Dr. Muhammad Naim Wardak, Suhail Shaheen, Maulvi Sher Muhammad Abbas and Maulvi Naik Muhammad will be representatives of Taliban in Qatar. These are the people who have been referred as ‘hard-liner Taliban’ by Mutasim Aghan Jan, Taliban government’s finance minister in a recent interview to an Afghan news channel.

It is yet to be seen how the peace negotiation process will proceed and how the Afghan government will be tackling the demands of the radical group by not compromising on the constitutional law of Afghanistan and so-far gains in democracy, civil society, media, women’s rights and other such issues?