A top official in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry has said that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is the "biggest impediment to the peace process" amid efforts for the two countries to work together to negotiate with the Taliban.
In an interview with Reuters, the official referred to Karzai's recent combative statements towards both Pakistan and the US accusing them of working with the Taliban to achieve their own aims.
"Right now, Karzai is the biggest impediment to the peace process. In trying to look like a saviour, he is taking Afghanistan straight to hell," the unnamed official told Reuters.
"I have absolutely no doubt that there will be complete chaos in Afghanistan if a settlement is not reached by 2014," he was quoted by Reuters. "Afghanistan will erupt. And when that happens, Pakistan will have to pay."
The comment comes as Karzai is headed to Qatar within days to discuss peace with the Taliban and the opening of a political office for the group, Karzai's office said Sunday.
Karzai will also use the visit to further Afghanistan-Qatar relations and meet the country's officials, Karzai's spokesman Aimal Faizi told TOLOnews.
The Taliban office has been planned for some time and was formally acknowledged as a step forward for peace negotiations during the UK, Afghanistan and Pakistan trilateral summit three months ago.
