Islamabad to revive talks on terror: 

Islamabad to revive talks on terror: 

Context

The Afghanistan Foreign Ministry has announced a revival of the Pakistan-led Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) to bring the Taliban into talks.

Who all does it concern?

• The next meeting of the group will comprise officials from the U.S., China, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• The meeting will held in Oman, Muscat on October 16.

What will be the topic of discussion?

• Two topics will be discussed: counter-terrorism, and Pakistan’s honesty in fulfilling its promises that it will make in the presence of China and the U.S. at the meeting.
• The meeting is also significant for its timing just ahead of the visit of American Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who will travel to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India from October 23.
• The visit is taking place under Trump’s new South Asia Policy for Afghanistan which suggested a tougher line on Pakistan’s support to terror groups, and greater cooperation with India.
• The meeting is expected to convey a “zero tolerance” policy for support to the Haqqani group and other groups targeting Afghan forces.

Why such steps?

• Critics say that Pakistan’s push to revive the QCG process now may be a reaction to the growing number of strong statements from the U.S. accusing its intelligence agency ISI of supporting terrorism in the neighbourhood.
  

What is India’s stand on it?

• India shared its perspectives on the situation in Afghanistan, the need to strengthen Afghan National Defence and Security Forces, need for an Afghan led and controlled peace and reconciliation process. However, India is not a part of the QCG, and officials said no request had been made to invite India to the revived version.