Pak offers Taliban talks to 'counter' India: NYT

New york, Feb 10: Pakistan has offered talks with Taliban to counter the growing Indian presence in Afghanistan, a media report said on Wednesday, Feb 10.

According to New York Times report, Pakistan has told the US it wants a central role in resolving the Afghan war.

The report said Pakistan has offered to mediate with Taliban factions who use its territory and have long served as its allies

The report noted that the offer could both help and hurt American interests as Washington debates reconciling with the Taliban.

"What the Pakistanis can offer is their influence over the Taliban network of Jalaluddin and Siraj Haqqani, whose forces American commanders say are the most lethal battling American and NATO soldiers in Afghanistan," the report said.

"In return for trying to rein in the Haqqanis, Pakistan will be looking for a friendly Afghanistan and for ways to stem the growing Indian presence there," the Times said citing Pakistani and American officials.

"The Pakistani offer makes clear that any stable solution to the war will have to take into account Afghanistan's neighbours, in a region where Pakistan, India, China, Iran and others all jostle for power," Times said.

OneIndia News