Pakistan invites sanctioned Taliban members to Islamabad for talks

New Delhi/Islamabad: Days after Pakistan reiterated UN sanctions on Afghan Taliban, Islamabad has "invited" members of the grouping for talks.

Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson  Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri said a delegation of the Afghan Taliban is visiting Pakistan upon the "invite of the Foreign Ministry" to discuss the "way forward in the Afghan Peace Process."

On August 18 a statutory notification was issued by Pakistani government with list of Taliban members sanctioned by United Nations security council.

Pakistani Foriegn Ministry said the notification only reflects "information contained in the list entry of UN-designated individuals/entities" and  "reports in certain sections of the media about Pakistan imposing new sanctions measures...are not factual."

The notification includes Taliban's Chief negotiator Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, who will be in Islamabad for talks and meet Pakistan's foriegn minister SM Qureshi.

While being on sanctions list means asset freeze, arms embargo and travel ban, members of the group are allowed to move since they got exemptions till September 2020 by United Nations security council. They have got limited asset feeze exemption as well to the point of financing travel exemptions.

Taliban members visited Pakistan last time in October 2019. Back then, the Pakistani FM had greeted the Taliban members at the Pakistani Foriegn Ministry with warm hugs and handshakes, raising eyebrows.