Peace is the ultimate necessity every Afghan longs for over decades. In order to retract the memo rated ‘peace process’, concrete and practicable measures are required to further the derailed peace process. The Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s former visit to Pakistan seems to materialize gradually and absolutely helped to bridge the rotten Af-Pak relationship. Afghanistan lays greater stress for the release of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the former deputy commander of the Afghan Taliban. He is regarded the most credible person, second in command, next to the one eyed Mullah Omar and his partaking in peace process can install greater degree of confidence in all partners and success to peace talks.
Subsequent to overturn of peace talks formerly planned between conflicting factions, Taliban and Afghan government, over the alleged exploitation of name and flag of Afghanistan in Taliban’s Doha office, it was the pressing need to restore the derailed peace talks.
In order to further the stalled process, another proposal for Taliban’s office change from Doha to Saudi Arabia or Turkey came forth. It is said that a covert undertaking is underway to make peace talks come about. The country opted to host Taliban’s office will be finalized imminently. It is a dominant perception that Pakistan is considering the transfer of Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar to another country as part of efforts to the reconciliation process in Afghanistan.
Over the last few months, Islamabad, Kabul and Washington have been quietly discussing the fate of Mullah Baradar to shift him to either of aforementioned countries and make him spearhead talks with the Afghan government.
Baradar is one of the four insurgents who founded the Taliban movement and was the day-to-day commander responsible for leading the militant campaign against US and NATO troops until his capture in 2010 in Karachi by a joint team of CIA and Pakistani intelligence officers.
Although he has been in Pakistani custody since, Baradar is still considered a key Taliban leader who could play a vital role in brokering a peace deal. He was believed to have played a major role in persuading his leadership to set up a political office in Doha.
Kabul has long been seeking the release of all Taliban detainees currently under Pakistan custody. Formerly Pakistan released seven Taliban in addition to twenty six released last year. However, Mullah Ghani Baradar is kept in the pending list. The date of his release is yet undisclosed. Moreover, the gradual release of Taliban detainees is a positive sign that Pakistan’s cooperation with Afghan government will continue. It has been the latest push to break a stalemate in Afghan reconciliation process. Afghan authorities having earned US and Pakistan’s support can drag peace talks to its ultimate destiny.