Not ready for peace talks, Afghanistan Taliban tells Pakistan

Islamabad: Afghan Taliban negotiators have told Pakistan that they cannot hold peace talks with President Ashraf Ghani led Afghanistan government for now.

"The Taliban representatives have wrapped up their nearly two-week visit and conveyed to Pakistani officials that they have not yet decided to enter into dialogue with the Kabul administration," the Express Tribune quoted a Taliban source, as saying.

"The Taliban leaders insisted they could only say whether or not the group will join talks after two or three months," the source added.

Three senior members of the Qatar-based Taliban political office arrived in Pakistan in late October after reports suggested that a senior Taliban leader had met Afghanistan`s spy chief in the Gulf country in the presence a senior American official.

Pakistan is seemingly upset at the Taliban`s refusal and could press them to review their stance on the peace process. It is widely believed that the arrest of senior Taliban leader
Ahmadullah Muti alias Mullah Nanai, a senior Taliban leaders opposed to negotiations, last month in Balochistan was aimed at conveying a message to the group to join the peace process.

Taliban sources confirmed the detention of Nanai and three other leaders but gave no reasons for the arrests.

A Taliban official had earlier stated that the Qatar-based Taliban leaders had also 'sought an explanation' from Pakistan about the arrest of the leaders.