Pakistan is pushing to secure “fresh commitment” from the Afghan Taliban to shift their strategic calculus on support to the Pakistani Taliban or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) after a high-level and powerful delegation visited Kabul just days ago.
The surprise visit, which included ISI chief, led by Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif was aimed to encourage and convince the Taliban to help Islamabad fight the TTP, a group that has intensified attacks in Pakistan in the past two years.
Though the office of Mullah Baradar, deputy economic chief minister of the Taliban in a statement said that the two sides discussed economic cooperation, regional relations, and trade, however, several sources said that TTP and border issues were the main agenda of the meeting.
TTP is a hot issue as it ramped up their attacks, seemingly embolden by the return of Taliban to power in August 2021. According to a UN report, TTP are regrouping and reorganizing with their leadership headquartered in Afghanistan. The outlawed faction was also able to fundraise through extortion inside Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan.
Afghanistan has been in war in the past 40 years where multiple militant groups found safe havens there, but the Taliban said they have full control on every province and will not let anyone use the Afghan soil against other countries.
Islamabad has evidence of TTP hideouts in Afghanistan
Pakistan has presented “irrefutable evidence” to the Afghan Taliban about the presence of (TTP) hideouts and precise location of its leadership in Afghanistan, The Express Tribune reported.
The evidence was shared during the visit of Pakistani delegation led by Asif to Kabul and the only one point agenda was focusing on counter terrorism and presence of the TTP sanctuaries on the Afghan soil.
Indeed, it is the first high-level delegation seeking Taliban support against TTP as a clear shift in Pakistan’s stance on the group after the recent spike in terrorist attacks.
The visit also conveyed a message that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership no longer seek talks with the TTP and in the meantime are trying to engage in talks with Taliban not to support them.
It was the first time that Pakistan top security officials visited the Taliban for help, while the Taliban in contrary to the Pakistani media reports, said that they discussed mutual cooperation in areas of trade and border issues.
TTP is internal issue of Pakistan
It is very clear that TTP is based in Pakistan and they are Pakistani Taliban, two officials within the Taliban told Harici on Saturday.
They said that TTP is not a “foreign group” and the Pakistani authorities are well aware of the fact that TTP has deep roots in Pakistani society and they are stationed there. “We strongly reject the claim that TTP leadership are based in Afghanistan, but we have evidence to prove that TTP leaders are in Pakistan,” he said.
During the meeting, Pakistani side came up with some proposal to resolve TTP issue, but the Taliban rejected the presentation and said they are much aware of the situation and don’t need their proposal.
The Pakistani side tried to explain further, but the Taliban did not satisfy and instead that TTP is an internal issue of Pakistan, but assured to stand ready to help and work for regional peace and security.
Taliban, TTP and Pakistan
Pakistan is not happy with the support the Afghan Taliban is providing to TTP. This goes in direct contrast with Pakistan’s expectation that Taliban will pay attention to them carefully and will abide and do what Islamabad will say.
“The Afghans are known for their hospitality. We are more than happy to receive guests, especially from our neighboring countries, but that doesn’t mean we accept any order or command,” a Taliban official said.
Speaking to Harici in condition of anonymity, he said that the Pakistani delegation held talks with Taliban leadership and they agreed to work on a mechanism to enable both the countries to jointly fight the menace of terrorism.
“The meetings were held in a cordial atmosphere, and both sides agreed on several fronts.”
Pakistan needs Afghanistan’s support against TTP
The visit of Pakistan’s delegation came amid increasing anger in Pakistan as TTP and Islamabad failed to keep a long-months ceasefire that came to an end in late November.
The Afghan Taliban played a huge role in reaching a ceasefire between them, and they also hosted several rounds of talks between TTP members and Pakistani officials in Kabul but all of them ended with no results.
Since the end of the ceasefire, Pakistani officials said that TTP is enjoying full support from the Afghan Taliban and they carried several attacks against its security forces from Afghanistan.
“Terrorist groups impose a threat to the region and the world from inside Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto said on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference 2023 last week.
Political exports believe that Pakistan has lost control of the Afghan Taliban who once they supported against the previous government and foreign troops and also not capable of handling TTP by itself.
Pakistan is suffering from a poor political and security situation and its army is not capable of maintaining security or dealing with any sort of terroristic activities.
