Afghanistan News: Karzai Urges Taliban to Stop Fighting Ahead of 2014 Withdrawal

The Afghanistan High Peace Council returned to Kabul after a successful visit to Islamabad. The delegation, led by the HPC head Salahuddin Rabbani, met with high level Pakistani officials and discussed the ongoing peace process. Some sources confirmed 13 are being freed after the three-day visit of the Afghan delegation, including close comrades of Mullah Omer.

It seems that Afghan-Pak and U.S. officials are trying their best to make the ground suitable for peace, as 2014 is the declared withdrawal year of foreign forces.

One of the delegates, hiding his identity, told sources, "Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar [top ranking leader after Mullah Omer] will be freed." He was the main figure involved with the HPC in peace talks when arrested in Karachi by Pakistani law enforcement agencies.

Afghan President Karzai calls the Afghan Taliban "our angry brothers" and says they should return home, stop fighting, and stop destroying the motherland. “We have suffered a lot.”

On the other hand, the Afghan Chief Election commissioner announced that Taliban candidates will be part of forthcoming elections should they accept the constitution of Afghanistan, stop arming, and be part of the peace and development process in the country.

Mullah Omer, the virtual leader of the Afghan Taliban, had a very positive message on the eve of Eid, "Civilians shouldn't be harmed anymore." These positive messages from Taliban leaders after one decade of war are green signals for Kabul.

The Afghan Taliban must stop war against their own people and return to peace talks, says Faheem Mandokhail, a political analyst from Lahore, Pakistan. There shouldn't be more bloodshed in Afghanistan, which is hazardous for the peace of Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as the region. Pakistan has to be "honestly" part of the ongoing peace process.

Pakistan has suffered a lot during last decade. Tehreek Taliban Pakistan, militant organizations, and non-state actors are actively disturbing peace and stability here. Sectarian violence, terrorism, bomb blasts, targeted killings and ongoing anarchy are at their peak. That has struck the economy of the country badly and nobody feels safe.