Afghan President Hamid Karzai is considering meeting a senior former member of the Taliban for the first time since its fall over two years ago, in a bid to reach out to moderate elements of the hardline Islamic militia.
| He's been trying to reach out to the Taliban moderates all along, but up until now neither has wanted to talk to him... |
The initiative coincides with a Pakistani operation against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants near the Afghan border and US plans for a spring offensive against rebels in rugged frontier areas. In an interview with Pakistanâs state-run PTV aired on Tuesday, President Karzai said he had sent representatives to talk to former Taliban foreign minister Wakil Ahmed Muttawakil, who has been freed from US custody but remains under local guard.
| Ask him if he's lopped anybody's hands off lately... |
But Afghan officials hope the inclusion of moderate Taliban elements in the political process will weaken the extremists. âMulla Wakil Ahmed has written me a very nice letter,â President Karzai told PTV in his presidential palace in Kabul. âHe has explained what he is thinking of the future of Afghanistan, which is quite reasonable. He has asked to meet with me. I have sent some of my people to talk to him twice, and I will probably also consider meeting with him or not in the coming days.â |