Following their trilateral meeting in Islamabad on April 27, 2012, officials from the United States, Afghanistan, and Pakistan announced that they would offer "safe passage" to Afghan Taliban who are willing to discuss reconciliation. Addressing a joint news conference in Islamabad, U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman, Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani, and Afghan Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin said they would form a group of experts to consider the proposal.[1]
The talk of "safe passage" was immediately rejected by the Taliban. According to a Pakistani daily, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (the Taliban's shadow government), said: "The committee formed for providing safe passage will only provide facilities to those who bow to the U.S…. The Islamic Emirate has waged jihad for a great and sacred cause. There is none in our ranks to violate the teachings of Islam, abandon the leadership, and bow to the aggressors for a few dollars."[2]
A report published by the pro-Taliban Urdu-language Pakistani Roznama Ummat daily reveals for the first time that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has not only rejected the offer of "safe passage" but is also moving ahead to form a government in Afghanistan after U.S. and NATO troops withdraw. The report also reveals that the Islamic Emirate has appealed for Islamist experts in different fields of governance from around the world to join the Taliban.
Following are excerpts from the Roznama Ummat report:[3]
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