Most believe a resolution to the conflict will ultimately be a political, and economic, one rather than a military

victory that will necessitate negotiations with the Taliban, the channel said.

Such a resolution will have to be struck with the involvement of Pakistan, India, Iran and possibly Saudi Arabia, as well as NATO and the US, CNN said.

And with the Pakistan military, with its intelligence service, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate, now going public with its offer to act as broker to help initiate talks, this could be the first opportunity for a breakthrough in ending the Afghan war that began with the US invasion in 2001, it said.

Abbas told CNN after its 'very intense relationship' with militants during the fighters' alliance with the US during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, the Pakistan military is now still in contact with Taliban commanders such as Mullah Omar, Jalalladin Haqqani, Mullah Nazir and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, leader of the militant Hizb-e-Islami group.

'That's right, the ISI was in the forefront of the whole struggle against the Soviets. Now, maintaining the contacts with the organisations (like Mullah Omar's Taliban and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar) doesn't mean that that state policy is (to be) providing them physical support or the funding or training,' Abbas said.

After the 9/11 attacks Pakistani policy to support the groups did a 'U-turn', he said.