Pakistan encouraging Hamid Karzai in coalition with militants

[sonicboom]

Pakistan encouraging Hamid Karzai in coalition with militants

Pakistan's military is championing a power-sharing plan that would force Afghan president Hamid Karzai into coalition with some of the most deadly Taliban factions in return for peace.

By Dean Nelson, Praveen Swami and Ben Farmer in Kabul 6:00AM GMT 13 Dec 2010


General Ashfaq Kiyani, Pakistan's army chief, has launched a diplomatic offensive to persuade the United States, Britain and President Karzai to back the deal which would offer government posts to Taliban leaders prepared to renounce al-Qaeda.

It amounts to a direct challenge to Nato's current strategy to intensify the war against the Taliban-led insurgency in the hope of persuading its "reconcilable elements" to negotiate a peace.

Under General Kiyani's plan however, the insurgency's most feared faction, the "Haqqani Network" could play a role in a new 'broad-based government'.

Washington's frustration over Pakistan's refusal to confront the followers of Jalaluddin Haqqani, a vetran warlord, was revealed by WikiLeaks which published a cable earlier this month in which the US ambassador to Pakistan Anne Paterson said "no amount of money" could persuade Pakistan to abandon the group, which it regards as an ally against Indian influence in Afghanistan.

Gen Kiyani and his intelligence chief have met President Karzai twice in recent months and he is understood to be considering their proposal.

The Afghan president is keen to improve relations with Pakistan amid fears that his United States backers may withdraw their support for him ahead of any settlement.

In a recent briefing in Islamabad, Gen Kiyani outlined his plan and Pakistan's deteriorating relationship with the United States.

If insurgency leaders "can renounce Al Qaeda and ask it to leave Afghanistan," and Taliban commanders were removed from the United Nations Security Council sanctions list, a new constitution could be drafted which focuses on Afghanistan's "history, culture and geography," he said.

One analyst of Afghan politics said: "facilitating the Haqqani Network fighting ISAF and Kabul is sabotaging the internationally-endorsed project to put together a new system in Afghanistan. Kiyani is waging war against it.

"The Haqqanis are the most heavily integrated with foreign militants, some of them al-Qaeda. It's mind-blowing that part of the insurgency which is blatantly in cahoots with foreign fighters is [being promoted as] apt for government," he added.

A spokesman for President Karzai told The Daily Telegraph any solution will be "Afghan-led' but confirmed his government was in talks with Pakistan.

"We have always maintained Pakistan can play a positive role by helping deny terrorists sanctuary and use its leverage over some Afghan Taliban," he said.


Pakistan encouraging Hamid Karzai in coalition with militants - Telegraph