Kabul lists 250 for peace talks, including 52 women

April 16 (UPI) -- The Afghan government announced a list Tuesday of 250 people, including 52 women, to head to Qatar as delegates for peace talks with the Taliban this weekend.

The delegation will head to a conference known as "intra-Afghan" dialogue in Qatar's capital, Doha, which starts on Saturday and lasts for two days.

The Taliban have refused direct talks with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government and said it would only recognize participants as "ordinary" Afghans.

Critics say the list of delegates is not inclusive enough.

The government introduced 150 delegates and political parties and movements introduced 90 delegates.

Former jihadi leaders and former senior officials of government, including Ismail Khan, Atta Mohammad Noor and Mohammad Yunus Qanooni are also included on the list.

Some journalist and activists, including women's rights activists, are part of the delegation.

War victims' families, Muslim leaders, tribal elders and members of Afghanistan's High Peace Council, which oversees peace efforts, but doesn't represent the government, are also on the list.

Close aides of former President Hamid Karzai and Hizb-e-Islami leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar are on the list, but Karzai and Hektmatyar are not.

Of the 18 presidential candidates, only Mohammad Haneef Atmar is on the list.

"Our expectation is that the list for intra-Afghan dialogue should be inclusive so that all political parties and politicians can see themselves involved in the process," said Qadir Shah, a spokesman for the Peace and Moderation election ticket led by Atmar. "The rift is over the part of the list which has been prepared by political parties, as they have not sorted it out properly and have prepared it based on favoritism and it is not acceptable for us."

However, Ghani's spokesman Haroon Chakhansuri said the list represented "all layers of society."

A former Taliban member, Mawlawi Qalamuddin, said the dispute over the list should end.

"They should avoid a brawl, they take advantage of the opportunity which will see the end of the bloodsheds," Qalamuddin said.

The Taliban has called the Afgan government "puppets" of the West and refused to meet directly with its representatives. Instead, the Taliban have held a series of talks with U.S. Special Envoy Zalmay Khalilzad.

The latest in the series of talks between Taliban and U.S. officials is scheduled for Friday in Doha.

Taliban leaders clarified Tuesday that women would not be part of their representatives in talks Friday, despite an earlier report that said that they would be included. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said his comments were "misconstrued" and ruled out the possibility of women attending.

Despite upcoming talks, the Taliban announced Friday it would begin spring offensives to fight U.S. and Afghan forces.

Khalilzad called for Afghans and "other nations" to "condemn this announcement" in a Twitter post.

"On behalf of the United States, I condemn this announcement of a spring offensive, and call on Pakistan, Qatar, and other nations that want peace in Afghanistan to do the same," Khalilzad tweeted Friday.