In response to a call by a senior Afghan Taliban leader for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Islamabad to engage in peace negotiations, the Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan has firmly dismissed the possibility of talks with the militant group.
The statement came a day after Muhammad Nabi Omari, the deputy interior minister of the interim Taliban government in Afghanistan, made the suggestion during an Iftar gathering in the southeastern town of Khost.
Omari urged the Pakistani government and the TTP to initiate dialogue for peace, though he did not address the presence of TTP in Afghanistan.
While the Afghan Taliban have been privately advocating for direct negotiations between Pakistan and the TTP to end the longstanding conflict that has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement, this marks the first instance of a senior Afghan Taliban official publicly endorsing such talks and criticizing the militant group.
Efforts by the Afghan interim regime to mediate talks between the two sides have previously failed, leading Islamabad to accuse Kabul of harboring the TTP and urging action against the organization.
Despite denials by the Afghan Taliban of TTP presence on Afghan soil, Pakistan has stressed the need for internal action against the TTP, particularly following retaliatory airstrikes carried out by Pakistan in response to the death of soldiers in a suicide bombing in North Waziristan.
Responding to queries during a weekly briefing, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch reiterated Pakistan’s stance against engaging in talks with the TTP.
She emphasized the expectation for Afghan authorities to take swift action against terrorist outfits and their leadership responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
Furthermore, Baloch highlighted Pakistan’s commitment to combatting terrorism and fostering regional stability, as discussed during the 19th regular meeting of the secretaries of the security councils of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Kazakhstan.
Secretary of the National Security Division, Waqar Ahmad, stressed the importance of a comprehensive approach to addressing terrorism and promoting stability in Afghanistan for regional prosperity.
