ISLAMABAD: In a major policy shift, Pakistan has decided to withdraw its active diplomatic support to the Afghan Taliban interim regime at the international fora following its failure to prevent banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from using Afghanistan’s soil for its terror activities against Pakistan.
Diplomatic sources maintained that the decision was taken in the wake of increased terrorist attacks by the TTP and the Afghan interim government’s failure to stop the militant outfit from using the Afghan soil for its terror operation within Pakistan despite repeated calls to act appropriately against the group, which has taken refuge in Afghanistan following 2014 operation Zarb-e-Azb. However, the sources maintained that Pakistan’s diplomatic staff led by charge d’affaires Obaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani would remain in Kabul and continue their diplomatic assignment.
The sources further maintained that Pakistan would no longer advocate or extend active diplomatic support to the Afghan interim government at the international fora, including the United Nations and the UN Security Council.
PM says expulsion of Afghans a response to Taliban non-cooperation
They added that Pakistan would also withdraw special privileges to Afghan Taliban regime and its authorities who had been using Pakistani passports for international visits. “Pakistan had been advocating for lifting of sanctions and access to the frozen funds following Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan on August 15, 2021.”
The sources further maintained that Pakistan had repeatedly communicated to the Afghan interim government authorities in clear terms to decide between the TTP and Pakistan. However, there has been no letup in the TTP’s terrorist attacks amid continued negative statements by the Afghan interim government authorities. Pakistan’s Foreign Office, however, is yet to confirm the latest policy shift towards Afghan interim government or make any comment on the development. A day earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar came down hard on the Afghan interim government, who during a press briefing, stated that Pakistan has witnessed a 60 percent increase in terror attacks and a 500 percent rise in suicide bombings while 15 Afghan nationals were found involved in these attacks since the Taliban interim government took over Afghanistan on August 15, 2021. Kakar further stated that the TTP continued to use the Afghan soil for its terror activities against Pakistan.
The caretaker prime minister also raised alarm over the American leftover military equipment in Afghanistan, saying those weapons were being sold in the black market and used in the terror activities not only in Pakistan, but also in the entire region and the Middle East.
Kakar further stated Afghan authorities were cognizant of those facts as Pakistan had been sharing these details with them since February that year through the fortnightly memorandums of protest. He added that the monitoring team of the United Nations, in its report released in July that year, clearly highlighted that TTP centres based in Afghanistan were conducting terrorist operations against Pakistan. However, in a statement Taliban interim government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid refuted the claims, saying: “The Islamic Emirate does not allow anyone to use the territory of Afghanistan against Pakistan.”
“Regarding the recent claims of the interim prime minister of Pakistan, we must say that just as the Islamic Emirate wants peace and stability in Afghanistan, it also wants peace in Pakistan…The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is not responsible for maintaining peace in Pakistan, they should solve their internal problems by themselves and not blame Afghanistan for their failures,” Mujahid said in a statement.
“Since insecurity has increased in Pakistan after the victory of the Islamic Emirate, it does not mean that we are behind the insecurity in Pakistan. Weapons are safe in Afghanistan, they are not stolen…arms smuggling is prohibited and all illegal activities are prevented,” he claimed. The Taliban interim government’s spokesperson further stated that as a “brother” and neighbouring country, Afghanistan wants good relations with Pakistan. “The Pakistani side should also understand the intention of the Islamic Emirate and have no doubt about it. IEA does not want to interfere in the affairs of other countries and [it doesn’t] take measures against them,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023