Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, has said that he initially welcomed and congratulated the Taliban when they took control of Afghanistan, unaware that the group would harbour individuals considered enemies of Pakistan.
Speaking to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper in Urdu, Asif argued the Taliban’s claim that the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) is not present in Afghanistan and said, “In the last year, key TTP members have been killed in Afghanistan, so how can the Taliban say that the TTP is not present in their country?”
He said, “Pakistan provided support to the Taliban’s war effort for four to five decades, which has had a devastating impact on the country’s culture and security.”
Earlier, Pakistani officials, including the country’s defense minister, accused the Taliban of not fulfilling its anti-terror commitments under the Doha Agreement and providing safe havens for TTP fighters in Afghanistan.
In response to the remarks from Pakistani officials, Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban spokesman, stated that the Taliban signed the Doha agreement with the US, and follows a different approach with Pakistan.
The Taliban and TTT share ideological, operational, and personal alignment. A recent report shows that the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan in August 2021 has significantly strengthened and emboldened the TTP, as the group continues to target Pakistani security forces and civilians across the country.
According to Pakistan’s Express Tribune newspaper, there are between 8,000 to 12,000 TTP fighters in Afghanistan and the number could rise to 30,000 if their family members are included.
Earlier reports indicated that under an agreement with Pakistan, the Taliban agreed to relocate what they call “Waziristan immigrants” from the southern border areas with Pakistan to northern Afghanistan.
While Pakistan welcomed the Taliban’s relocation plan, citing potential cross-border peace, the plan raised widespread concerns and outrage from others. Opposition groups inside and outside Afghanistan warned that TTP relocation could have “fatal” consequences for the country’s stability.
