KABUL/ISLAMABAD, Oct 28: During recent talks between Pakistani and Afghan officials, tensions reportedly flared over Islamabad’s demand that it be allowed to carry out cross-border strikes on Afghan soil in response to attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
According to Afghan media, the Taliban delegation sought to keep discussions constructive and focused on finding solutions.
However, the Pakistani representatives appeared disorganised and seemed unwilling to engage in any diplomatic moves, conducive towards finding a solution, with some members even pushing to end the talks prematurely.
As per Tolo News reports, Pakistani representatives reportedly pressed the Afghan side to acknowledge Pakistan’s “right” to launch targeted attacks against TTP fighters, wherever they are, be in Pakistan’s frontier areas, or across the border on Afghan soil.
Islamabad has long accused Kabul of sheltering and supporting the group of carrying out terror strikes in Pakistan, though members of the Taliban delegation firmly denied the accusations, and viewed its demand to holding attacks inside Afghanistan, a violation of its territorial sovereignty.
In a rare admission, Pakistani officials also confirmed for the first time that Islamabad has an agreement with a foreign country authorising drone strikes within its borders.
They added that Pakistan could not unilaterally terminate the arrangement because doing so would breach the terms of the agreement, though Afghan officials have raised concerns that such arrangements compromise regional security and further undermine trust between neighbouring states.
The Taliban added that the TTP problem is not an Afghan issue, but is Pakistan’s own domestic issue, resulting from the failure of its armed forces in containing the group.
The delegation stressed that Kabul, as a matter of its stated national policy is that it will never allow Afghan soil to be used to harbour any third party, detrimental to the security and territorial integrity of any nation, including Pakistan.
Kabul also urged Islamabad to address its militancy challenges through political dialogue and domestic reform rather than cross-border military measures, warning that unilateral actions would only inflame tensions and risk destabilising the wider region. (UNI)
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