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Taleban should lay down arms for talks

Talking to the terrorists is confused strategy, it's foolhardy, to say the least.

Countries brokering a solution for war-weary Afghanistan have come up with a roadmap that will not work. Pakistan, Afghanistan, the United States and China believe that engaging Taleban in talks is the way ahead. This is despite the fact that the militia has, of late, unleashed a violent campaign against its adversaries on both sides of the Durand Line, and is preparing to launch a spring offensive against Afghan and coalition forces. Talking to the terrorists is confused strategy, it's foolhardy, to say the least.
The Taleban, meanwhile, have come up with a wish-list, and want all stakeholders, as well as the United Nations, to lift restrictions on its movement and acknowledge it as a legal party. The talks held in Kabul and Islamabad recently are part of the effort to find a negotiated end to nearly 15 years of war in Afghanistan, a conflict that has killed thousands of civilians and crippled the nation's economy. It is a follow up to the Heart of Asia dialogue held in Pakistan last year.
But the question is: are the Taleban listening to the saner voices of the international community? Does the terror group really believe that bringing it on board could solve Afghanistan's problems? There are no good and bad Taleban. Pakistan and other players should realise this. Taleban and terror groups will have to renounce violence if they have to sit at the table for talks.