Doha Talks
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to participate in the United Nations-hosted talks on Afghanistan in Doha, scheduled for this weekend, diplomatic sources confirmed on Thursday. The decision comes as an effort to engage in international discussions aimed at addressing the ongoing challenges in Afghanistan.
Earlier this month, Taliban authorities confirmed their participation in the third round of the Doha talks, set to begin on June 30. A Taliban spokesperson had informed AFP of their decision, following their absence from the previous round of discussions.
According to the sources, Pakistan will be represented by Asif Durrani, the Special Representative on Afghanistan, and Ahmad Naseem Warraich, Assistant Secretary for West Asia in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Their participation underscores Pakistan’s ongoing commitment to regional stability and its concerns over cross-border terrorism.
Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban government to curb the activities of terrorist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and prevent their territory from being used as a base for launching attacks into Pakistan.
The Doha talks provide a platform for these concerns to be addressed directly with the Afghan interim administration and other international stakeholders.
The diplomatic sources also highlighted that the Afghan Taliban’s interim government had boycotted the second round of Doha talks in 2024, primarily due to the inclusion of women and civil society representatives.
However, the upcoming talks mark a significant development, as it will be the first time that Afghanistan’s interim administration will engage face-to-face with special representatives on Afghanistan from various parts of the world.
Prior to the Doha talks, the United Nations conducted consultations with representatives of Afghan civil society, both inside and outside Afghanistan.
Following the main talks, discussions between civil society members, women representatives, and the special representatives on Afghanistan are scheduled for July 2.
The diplomatic sources clarified that the third Doha talks will not focus on recognizing the Afghan Taliban or Afghanistan’s interim government.
Instead, the discussions will center on addressing immediate issues, such as the ongoing restrictions on women’s rights, which remain a significant barrier to Afghanistan’s reintegration into the international community.
On June 21, a senior UN official emphasized that the Taliban’s participation in the upcoming Doha talks does not equate to legitimizing their government.
Roza Otunbayeva, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), addressed the UN Security Council, highlighting that the restrictions on women and girls, particularly in education, deprive the country of essential human capital and contribute to a brain drain that hinders Afghanistan’s future prospects.
Since their return to power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have not received formal recognition from any nation.
The international community remains concerned about the ongoing human rights violations, especially against women and girls, and their impact on Afghanistan’s development and stability. The Doha talks represent a critical opportunity for the global community to address these issues and seek a collaborative path forward for Afghanistan.
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