TTP or Pakistan: Afghan Taliban have a clear choice to make, says Durrani

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of escalating tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghan Affairs, has made a pointed statement asserting that Afghanistan’s de facto administration must make a definitive choice between Pakistan and the Pakistani Taliban, commonly referred to as the “TTP.”

Durrani’s remarks came during his appearance on program ‘Ambassador’s Lounge’ where he emphasized the necessity for Islamabad to reaffirm its stance on Afghanistan. This comes especially after the forced deportation of Afghan migrants and the subsequent deterioration in bilateral relations between the two nations.

Durrani claimed that approximately six thousand Pakistani Taliban fighters, along with their families, are present in Afghanistan.

However, this assertion was contested by Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, in a conversation with the BBC.

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The Special envoy also highlighted the significant increase in terrorist activities within Pakistan following the Taliban’s resurgence. He noted, “attacks in Pakistan have increased by 67 per cent, and suicide bombings have seen a 15 per cent upward trend.”

Pakistan attributes the heightened insecurity within its borders to the presence of TTP militants in Afghanistan and has called upon the Taliban administration to extradite these militants to the Pakistani government.

Durrani remarked, “The Taliban claim that security has been established in Afghanistan, corruption has been eliminated, and the economy is on the path to improvement; hence, the perception is that peace in Afghanistan translates to a nightmare in Pakistan.”

The already strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been further aggravated following Pakistan’s decision to expel over a million undocumented Afghan migrants on the eve of winter, marking a significant low point in the relationship between the two neighbouring countries.