Sharif plays key role in Taliban, Karzai Govt talks

“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 Hamid Karzai called for negotiations with the Taliban, Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban’s former ambassador to Pakistan, on Monday 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.

“Sharif is serving as a bridge,” a source said, adding that the PML(N) chief is an “old hand” on Afghanistan. During his two stints as PM, Sharif developed good working relations with almost all Afghan mujahideen leaders but they were now “largely irrelevant” because of the fighting strength of the Taliban.