A conference titled "Afghanistan's Situation and the Path Toward Peace: Internal Collapse, Illegitimate Rule" has opened in Islamabad, Pakistan, with the participation of several Taliban opponents.
The event, organized by an organization called the International Parliamentary Congress of Pakistan, began today, Tuesday, September 29, with former Information and Culture Minister Mohammad Tahir Zaheer, former Afghan parliament member Amanullah Paiman, and representatives from regional countries. The conference will continue tomorrow.
Organizers said the goal is to examine Afghanistan's legitimacy crisis, terrorism and its risks to neighboring and regional countries, and the path to peace in Afghanistan. Representatives from Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia attended and shared their views on the current situation in Afghanistan.
Speakers on the first day expressed concern over the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan and warned of the consequences for regional and neighboring security. They stressed that Afghanistan's political and security crisis cannot be resolved without an inclusive, democratic government, adding that the Taliban do not represent all Afghans.
Zaheer and Paiman pointed to what they called the suppression and exclusion of non-Pashtun ethnic groups and the Taliban's failure to form an inclusive government, calling for regional and international support to change the situation. Pakistani Information Minister Attaullah Tarar also spoke at the opening, saying Afghanistan has become a haven for terrorists.
Referring to tensions with the Taliban, he said Pakistan has repeatedly sought to resolve disputes through dialogue, but continued activity by terrorist groups has been the biggest obstacle to improving relations. The conference comes as Taliban-Pakistan relations have grown tense again, with both sides accusing each other of using their territory for attacks. The Taliban today summoned Pakistan's charge d'affaires over recent clashes in Nuristan, while Pakistan reportedly summoned the Taliban's charge d'affaires over a recent attack in Dera Ismail Khan.
Source: International Parliamentary Congress conference
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