Islamabad: Afghanistan is optimistic that regional power Pakistan will help the Kabul government advance a reconciliation process with the Taliban, the Afghan president's spokesman said yesterday.
Pakistan, seen as crucial to efforts to end the war in Afghanistan, has repeatedly said it wants peace in its neighbour.
Afghans, however, have always been suspicious of Pakistani intentions because of historical ties between Pakistani intelligence and insurgent groups like the Afghan Taliban.
Strained relations
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan were strained for months after the assassination in September of Afghan peace envoy and former president Burhanuddin Rabbani. Afghan officials blamed Pakistan's intelligence agency, allegations angrily denied by Islamabad.
But talks this week between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Pakistani leaders in Islamabad were encouraging, Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi said.
"We noticed a big change among the Pakistanis. The atmosphere is much better," Faizi told Reuters in Islamabad. "We are more optimistic than before that they will support us."
Faizi said Karzai made several demands when he met top Pakistani officials. He would not list them but Afghanistan is known to want access to Taliban leaders belonging to the so-called Quetta Shura, named after the Pakistani city where it is said to be based.
Pakistan has consistently denied giving sanctuary to insurgents and denies the existence of any Quetta Shura, or leadership council.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said that after a recent trip to Kabul, a lot of ill will between Kabul and Islamabad had eased. And she indicated that Pakistan would encourage militant groups seeking to topple the US-backed Kabul government to pursue peace if asked by Afghanistan.
The apparent change in mood comes at a critical time when the Afghan government is exploring ways to reach the next stage of reconciliation — negotiations with the Taliban.
The Afghan Taliban announced last month it would open a political office in Qatar, suggesting it may be willing to engage in negotiations that could likely give it government positions or official control over the southern heartland.
