KABUL: Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Tuesday linked the release of Taliban prisoners with the group breaking ties with neighboring Pakistan, reported The News International.
President Ghani was addressing a public gathering in the eastern Nangarhar province, he said the Afghan Taliban could not justify their insurgency after inking a peace deal with the US.
“You (Taliban) have made peace with the foreigners so what does your jihad mean now … killing of fellow Afghans is a crime,” said Afghan President Ghani, who has expressed reservations over the peace agreement.
"If the Taliban have set release of their prisoners as a condition for intra-Afghan talks, we also have conditions; they should tell me when are they going to leave (break ties with) Pakistan."
The landmark deal signed in Doha, Qatar on Feb. 29 lays out a timetable for a full troop withdrawal from Afghanistan within 14 months.
The agreement is expected to lead to dialogue between the Taliban and the Kabul government, seeking an end to the armed conflict that began in 2001, reported international media on Tuesday.
The Taliban agreed to halt attacks in the war-torn country in return for a prisoner swap and the US lifting sanctions against them.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has objected to these arrangements that would see the Afghan government releasing 5,000 Taliban prisoners as a condition for direct talks between the two sides.
In the reaction, Taliban has warned to resume attacks on allied forced in Afghanistan.