Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict: Pakistan has quietly encouraged the Afghan Taliban government to neutralize the threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) stepped up terrorist attacks across the country in recent months. is doing, according to a media report on Wednesday.
However, the efforts so far have revealed that the interim government in Kabul is still sticking to its earlier stand that the only way to resolve the TTP issue is through dialogue, The Express Tribune quoted officials familiar with the development as saying. Said from
Pakistan held peace talks with the terrorist organization on the request of the Afghan Taliban. Initially, the talks produced few results as the group agreed to a ceasefire in exchange for Pakistan allowing some TTP members to return home.
Ceasefire violations continue along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
However, the cease-fire failed, as the group continued to target security officials, intensifying its attacks in recent months. In the past three months, the TTP, which seeks to impose Sharia law across Pakistan, has claimed responsibility for more than 150 terrorist attacks. The spate of attacks forced the country’s civilian and military leadership to re-think the Afghan strategy.
Earlier this month, the National Security Committee (NSC) held an extended meeting for two days to discuss the rise in terrorist attacks. The civilian and military leadership decided not to pursue talks with the TTP and conveyed the same to the Afghan Taliban. The Express Tribune quoted sources as saying that in line with the NSC’s decision, the Afghan government was told that Kabul would have to neutralize the TTP threat, as promised in the Doha Agreement and bilateral meetings between the two countries.
“The Afghan Taliban government was adamant”
To avoid any deterioration in relations, Pakistan persuaded the Afghan Taliban behind closed doors. The Afghan Taliban government, which relies heavily on significant support from Pakistan, was informed that failure to address the TTP issue would only complicate bilateral relations between the two neighbors, forcing Islamabad to halt cooperation. .
Sources, however, told the paper that the Afghan Taliban government was adamant that Pakistan should hold talks with the TTP.
Islamabad was told that Kabul’s priority was to deal with groups such as Daesh, which pose a direct threat to its rule. As far as the TTP was concerned, the issue could best be dealt with politically by Pakistan, suggested the government in Kabul.
However, Pakistan has set certain limits for any kind of talks with TTP. Interior minister Rana Sanaullah had earlier said that Pakistan could talk to the TTP if they surrender and accept the state’s mandate. The sources said that in private meetings the Afghan Taliban were ready to address Pakistan’s concerns but were reluctant to take any action against them because of their close ties with the TTP.
Therefore, the Afghan government has been urging Pakistan to hold talks, the paper reported. The TTP was established in 2007 as the main terrorist group and has carried out dozens of attacks on security forces and civilians. Pakistan had hoped that the Taliban government would help in taming the monster but the hope did not come true.
(With inputs from PTI)