Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani asked the Taliban to make the Holy  Quran and Sharia as the basis for intra-Afghan talks in Doha, TOLOnews reported. The statement was made during a ceremony to commemorate the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.

“40% drug smugglers have been asked to release by those who are accusing the government of corruption,” Ghani was quoted as saying by TOLOnews while referring to the Taliban demand of the release of 5000 prisoners. 

For weeks, talks in Doha have been in a stalemate condition over the differences on two of the contentious rules as part of the basic framework to proceed on talks. One of the issues remains the Talibani’s insistence on making the US-Taliban deal signed on February 29 of this year as the basis of intra-Afghan talks- a demand rejected by the Afghan government so far. 

President Ghani said those who claimed to be fighting for religion now wants to make the US-Taliban deal as the “mother deal.”

Reacting to Ghani’s comment, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesperson said on Twitter, “ The Kabul administration heads should learn basic Islamic teachings instead of debating Shariah.”