Nawaz Sharif plays key role in Taliban, Afghan govt talks

Islamabad, Oct 7 (PTI) Pakistani opposition leader
Nawaz Sharif played a key role in conjunction with Saudi
Arabia in negotiations between the Taliban and the Afghan
government to pave the way for withdrawal of US-led forces
from Afghanistan, a media report said here today.

Former premier and PML-N chief Sharif's participation
in the talks led to him putting off his departure from Saudi
Arabia for two days, an informed source was quoted as saying
by The News daily today.

Sharif returned to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia, where
he had gone on a private visit, this morning.

"Nawaz Sharif was invited by Saudi King Abdullah and
he undertook the present visit to stay in Saudi Arabia for
nearly two weeks to talk about the nitty-gritty of the peace
process," the source said.

Days after Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for
negotiations with the Taliban, Abdul Salam Zaeef, the
Taliban's former ambassador to Pakistan, yesterday said that
he met representatives of the Taliban and the Afghan
government and a powerful warlord in Saudi Arabia during a
meal hosted by Saudi King Abdullah.

The day Sharif arrived landed in Saudi Arabia in
September, he had a 90-minute meeting with the Saudi king at
which national and regional issues, particularly the wave of
terrorist attacks in Pakistan and bloodshed in Afghanistan,
were discussed in detail, the source said.

PML-N leaders working closely with Sharif were aware
of the objective behind his extended stay in Saudi Arabia.
However, The News reported that sources close to President
Asif Ali Zardari were oblivious of Sharif's role and efforts
in bringing the warring sides in Afghanistan to the
negotiating table.