“It is the responsibility of the Afghan leadership to create a favourable environment to take the talks forward,” Qureshi said, according to a press release issued by the Foreign Office.
“Pakistan can create a favourable environment, it cannot take [Afghanistan’s] decisions.”
The foreign minister’s remarks come a day after it appeared that the recently signed truce deal between the US and the militant Taliban group was not holding after the Taliban said they would resume targeting the Kabul administration.
The deadlock came about just a day after the deal was signed when Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in a surprise move said “there is no commitment to releasing 5,000 [Taliban] prisoners”. His remarks soured hopes of peace, with the militant Taliban group responding by ruling out talks unless prisoners were released.
Yesterday, the Taliban resumed attacks against the Kabul administration according to a statement by the group’s spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid.
Read: Truce in tatters as Taliban resume attacks
On Saturday, the United States signed a historic deal with the Taliban in Doha that was hailed as a harbinger of peace by Pakistan and a possible way to end the 18-year-old war in Afghanistan. One of the clauses in the deal is for the swap of prisoners — the Afghan government will release 5,000 prisoners and the Taliban will release 1,000 by March 10.
Qureshi in his statement today also said that the clause for the exchange of prisoners was part of the US-Taliban deal and that Ashraf Ghani should “ask America for an explanation” on it.
He added that as far as he was aware, US Special Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad “had been apprising the Afghan leadership regarding negotiations”.
“Exchange of prisoners has happened in the past. When we move from war towards peace, it needs to be done to show a positive intention,” the foreign minister said, adding that exchange of prisoners was a two-way process.
Qureshi warned things could not move forward if “stubbornness” was exhibited. “This is a logical step that should be taken,” he added.
“Attitudes will have to be corrected along with deals … those who wanted to create obstacles were present before as well; it is a testament to the excellence of the [Afghan] political leadership that they make them unsuccessful.”
Qureshi termed the Doha peace deal an “important development” and urged all stakeholders to not “waste this opportunity”.
“What happened in Doha was the first step, the next step is intra-Afghan talks … president Ghani should move forward keeping his country’s interests foremost and the Taliban should also display generosity.”
The foreign minister said war was not an option as it was not an “easy process”.
Qureshi said both parties will have to “show flexibility” for each other, cautioning that if the truce did not hold, it would be “Afghanistan’s loss”.
He added that both parties will have to move forward for “confidence-building”.
Qureshi termed the ongoing situation a “test for the Afghan leadership”, adding that it remained to be seen whether “they move forward or continue to showcase the same kind of narrow thinking as before”.
He said Pakistan wanted things to be settled with “sincerity” and wished for peace and stability in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister reminded the stakeholders that “Pakistan has played the role it had to” and it was commended by the world community.