PESHAWAR: JUI-F emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman arrived in Kabul on Sunday to hold talks with senior Afghan Taliban leaders on the regional security situation, a spokes­man for his party said.

Upon his arrival, traffic was stopped on the road leading from Kabul’s international airport to the venue of his stay, with due security protocol.

The JUI-F leader, who is leading a nine-member delegation comprising party leaders from Khyber Pakh­tunkhwa and Balochistan, will be holding a series of meetings in Kabul.

Afghan Taliban chief spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in a brief statement on X, confirmed the Maulana’s arrival in the Afghan capital.

In an audio WhatsApp message shared with Dawn, Mr Mujahid said the Pakistani politician was due to attend a dinner hosted by Maulvi Abdul Kabir, Third Deputy Prime Minster for Political Affairs.

JUI-F chief to hold key meetings from today; says Senate resolution seeking poll delay ‘endorses his stance’

The duration of Maulana Fazl’s stay in Kabul is not clear, but the Afghan Taliban say his formal engagements with key Taliban leaders would begin today (Monday).

Pakistan’s Charge d’affaires Obaidur Rehman Nizamani is also expected to attend the meetings.

JUI-F spokesman Aslam Ghouri said the party leader was visiting Kabul at the invitation of the Afghan Taliban leadership to discuss regional and security issues.

Maulana Fazl has said that he would raise Pakistan’s security concerns with the Afghan Taliban and listen to their grievances as well.

The JUI-F said he was confident to break the ice between the two sides and resolve issues.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have soured in recent months due to an uptick in terrorist attacks which Islamabad says are carried out by the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from inside the neighbouring country.

Negotiations between Pakistan and the banned TTP collapsed over the latter’s refusal to disband, lay down arms and surrender to the state. The militant outfit had also demanded Pakistan rescinded the law that had allowed for the merger of tribal districts into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Kabul, which has hosted and facilitated negotiations between Pakistan and the TTP, denies the militant outfit operates from Afghanistan and has urged Pakistan to address its internal security challenges instead of blaming others.

The relationship between the two neighbours took a further hit when Pakistan started deporting illegal Afghans. Nearly half a million undocumented Afghans have so far left Pakistan since November 1, last year.

Interestingly, the JUI chief has also been the vocal critic of the Fata’s merger into KP, saying the legislation was made without the will and consent of tribal people.

The party emir and some senior JUI-F figures have survived suicide bombings, apparently by the TTP, which has been accusing the party leadership of betraying Islamic principles by believing in democratic principles. The Maulana has on several occasions made it publicly clear that his party did not believe in enforcement of sharia through armed struggle.

It is not clear how the banned TTP, which has also targeted ANP and PPP, would react to the Afghan Taliban’s overtures towards the JUI-F or that the militant outfit would even listen to their Afghan patrons and host.

Senate move backed

Separately, Maulana Fazl threw his weight behind a controversial resolution, passed by the Senate on Friday, seeking a delay in the Feb 8 polls on security and weather concerns. He said the Senate resolution endorsed his party’s stance that security situation was not conducive for holding the elections.

“Sky will not fall if elections are postponed for the sake of a better atmosphere,” the JUI-F leader said in an interview with Geo News.

He said the atmosphere was not conducive for polls as the JUI-F could not hold rallies after the party leaders received threats. However, he said, “If polls are enforced on us, we will not escape but contest the polls.”

The JUI-F chief said that gravity of the situation must be realised and such an atmosphere should be provided in which his party could reach their voters to seek votes. “The atmosphere in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is not suitable for elections.”

‘Bold leadership’

Reacting to the Maulana’s remarks, PPP Secretary Information Faisal Karim Kundi said “the country needs bold leaders”.

In a statement, he said PPP conducted its campaign bravely during the 2008, 2013 and 2018 elections when the wave of terrorism was worse than today.

Mr Kundi said some people were afraid of the possible decision of the nation through ballot and therefore they wanted escape from the polls. “People should not be deprived of choosing the government they like only on the whims of some individuals,” he added.

Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 8th, 2024