ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan has told the interim Afghan government that it could only consider talking to the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) if the terrorist outfit surrenders and lays down arms, official sources privy to the development told The Express Tribune on Sunday.
Pakistan is no longer seeking talks with the TTP under the present circumstances. But despite Pakistan’s refusal to enter into peace talks with the militant group, the Afghan Taliban are still keen on dialogue.
When Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi visited Islamabad last month, he once again proposed talks between Pakistan and the TTP.
“We are no longer seeking talks with the TTP. The possibility of talks can only be explored if TTP surrenders and lays down arms,” said a reliable source.
“Our offer is unambiguous: take it or leave it,” the source added.
Pakistan entered into talks with the TTP after the Afghan Taliban takeover in August 2021. Islamabad joined the process reluctantly as the Afghan Taliban were not ready to use force against the TTP.
The Afghan Taliban-brokered talks did make progress initially as the TTP agreed to a ceasefire in return for Pakistan freeing certain militants.
Pakistan also allowed hundreds of TTP fighters to return as part of confidence-building measures. But the move quickly backfired as the returning militants used that opportunity to regroup and start attacking the security forces.
With the change of army command in November last year, Pakistan began to realise the policy to seek peace deal was a mistake.
This was acknowledged by the country’s civil and military leadership during a high-powered National Security Committee meeting that talking to the TTP and allowing their militants to return was a thoughtless policy.
Since then Pakistan is adamant that it is no longer seeking talks with the TTP. Instead, it has been urging the Afghan Taliban to tackle the TTP threat.
June 4, 2023
Source: The Express Tribune
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