- Pakistan is running out of patience with the Taliban’s failure to rein in terror.
- The Taliban say that Afghan soil is not being used for attacks in Pakistan.
- Farhatullah Babar says the Taliban’s latest statement is ‘disturbing’.
Islamabad: Senior Pakistani politicians, including Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, are concerned over the Taliban government’s statement that it signed the Dohal deal with the US and not Pakistan, which comes amid rising violence in the country.
in an interview with bbc pashtoIn response to the defense minister’s comment that Afghanistan was not fulfilling its obligations under the accord, Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said they had not signed a peace deal with Islamabad.
But at the same time, he claimed that Afghan soil was not being used for attacks in Pakistan, as the country was “a Muslim and brotherly country”.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terrorism across the country and believes it to be perpetrated by the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), despite assurances from their supporters to rein in the terrorist group.
Last week, Pakistani army It said it was gravely concerned that terrorists have found safe haven in the neighboring country and threatened an “effective response” two days after two attacks killed 12 of its soldiers.
“The Army has serious concerns over the freedom of action and safe havens available to TTP in Afghanistan,” it said, adding that such attacks are intolerable and would attract an effective response from Pakistan’s security forces.
Reacting to Mujahid’s statement, veteran politician and senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar called it “disturbing”.
“Taliban spokesman says Taliban has signed Doha agreement with US, not with Pakistan and its policy towards Pakistan is different.”
He asked: “Does this mean that the Doha Agreement only obliges the Taliban to rein in some terrorists, not all?”
Agreeing with Babar’s interpretation, Asif said that irrespective of Afghanistan’s stand, Pakistan is determined to root out terrorism from its soil, irrespective of the source.
“This is regardless of whether or not Kabul has the will to rule terrorists from within its borders.”
The TTP has also been active in Balochistan after a series of attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where the Pakistani army overran terrorist safe havens after successful operations.
The militant group has stepped up attacks since canceling a ceasefire deal with the government in late 2022, including a bombing of a mosque in Peshawar that killed more than 100 people earlier this year.
