A six-member Taliban delegation led by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar met with Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and discussed recent progress in the Afghan peace process and the intra-Afghan negotiations, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. 

Other members of the delegation are Khairullah Khairkhwah, Mohammad Nabi Omari, Shahabuddin Delawar, Abdul Latif Mansour and Qari din Mohammad.   
 
Pakistani’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the Taliban delegation briefed Qureshi on the latest implementation of the agreement between Taliban and the US.  
 
Qureshi informed the Afghan Taliban delegation of sabotage of the Afghan peace process and potential threats related to spoilers, said the statement.

He said his efforts to ensure lasting peace and stability in the region, including with the Afghan peace process, will continue. 

The invitation of the Taliban delegation by Pakistan sparked reactions by the Afghan government. The Afghan Foreign Ministry said the issue of Pakistan’s policy on UN sanctions on the Taliban should be reviewed and followed.  

Last week, Pakistan issued an order for full compliance with UN Security Council sanctions against the Afghan Taliban and groups associated with the militant group. 

The UN sanctions list covers Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, head of Taliban’s political office in Qatar, who negotiated a peace deal with the US and signed it on February 29 in Doha. 

But sources close to the Taliban said members of the group have the permission to travel for the continuation of peace talks. 

The trip comes as expectations for the intra-Afghan negotiations in Doha are faced with two hurdles: the release of 22 Afghan commando and Air Force pilots by the Taliban, and Australia and France’s considerations on the release of six high-value Taliban prisoners held by the Afghan government.

“All the delegates of the Loya Jirga, the grand council, approved the release of 400 (Taliban) prisoners and the president signed a decree on their release, but they have not been released so far,” said Faiz Mohammad Zaland, a university lecturer. 

Afghan women lawmakers recently sent a letter to the US Congress, asking to preserve achievements on human rights, freedom of speech and rights of minorities in the peace process. 

“Our attempt was a consequence of the concerns of women. And if it is supposed to get sacrifice, the Afghan women should not be sacrificed,” said Nahid Farid, chairperson of the human rights, civil society and women’s affairs commission of the Lower House.