Afghan government-Taliban talks: claim about Mullah Omer's death may not hamper talks

The reports about Taliban chief Mullah Omar's death may not hamper the ongoing talk process between Afghan government and the Taliban, as the two sides are set to hold next round of talks on Friday in Murree, official sources said. With the denial of Mullah Omar's death by Taliban, the authorities in Pakistan are optimistic that the ongoing talk process may not hit the snag, as the multiple reports insist that the Taliban chief had died two years ago.
"In both the cases, there is no threat to the ongoing talk process...the Taliban are willing to hold talks. Let's suppose he [Mullah Omar] was dead two years ago or even if he is alive, the talks will continue," said an official who wished not to be named. Pakistan is also not ready to confirm the reports of Mullah Omar's death.
"We do not have any information on the report...the question may be directed to the source of this information," said Foreign Office spokesperson Qazi Khalilullah. About the next round of the talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban, he said: "I have no information about the date and venue of the talks". Various reports Wednesday claimed that Mullah Omar had died in 2013, citing Afghan officials including the spokesperson for Afghanistan's National Directorate of Security, Abdul Hassib Seddiqi, who reportedly confirmed the death of the Taliban chief.
According to him, Mullah Omar died at a hospital in Karachi in April 2013. It was also claimed that Pakistan had officially conveyed to Afghan government confirming the Taliban's chief demise about two years ago. But Taliban spokesperson insisted that the Mullah Omar "is very much alive" and described the 'rumours' an effort to draw out the Taliban chief who went into hiding following the 2001 US invasion that brought the Taliban regime to an end.
The sources said that the next round of direct talks between the representatives of Afghan government and the Taliban scheduled for Friday will be more open and the two sides would exchange views on confidence building measures, besides deliberating upon a cease-fire to carry forward the peace process. The officials also questioned the timing of the report, suspecting that some elements might be making efforts to derail the peace process. "This can't be ruled out as there are some characters that are not happy with the ongoing talks between Taliban and Afghan government," they added.
When asked about the venue of the next meeting which is also going to take place in Pakistan, he expressed his inability to share the details given the sensitivity of the matter. However, it is rumoured that it will take place in Murree. In the first round of direct talks between Afghan government delegation and Taliban representatives on July 7 also hosted by Pakistan and attended by representatives of United States and China, the two sides agreed to continue the dialogue process.
Analysts say that the talk process could be delayed if Mullah Omar is dead, but it would not hit the snag. "The process could face a delay until nomination of new Amir (chief), if he is dead", said Brigadier Mehmood Shah (Retd), a senior security analyst and expert on Taliban and Afghan affairs. "If he [Mullah Omar] is alive, then Taliban should release at least his audio statement to refute the reports," he said. "It seems he is dead and this is the reason Mullah Akhtar Mansoor has been looking after the insurgents' movement in Afghanistan," he added.