‘Taliban takeover forced Baloch terror groups to flee Afghanistan’

Even before the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August, Pakistan had a long list of its grievances with the previous US-backed Afghan administration on the presence of not just the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) but also Baloch militant organisations inside Afghanistan.

In fact, Pakistani officials had time and again presented the Afghan officials evidence of Baloch terrorists’ hideouts in Kandahar and Helmand. The Pakistani authorities also had no doubt that these Baloch groups, waging a bloody insurgency in the resource-rich Balochistan province, had the backing of Afghan intelligence agencies as well as other external actors.

These Baloch groups found refuge in the neighbouring Afghanistan after Pakistan launched a military campaign in Balochistan in 2006. And before the US-exit, these groups operated out of mainly Kandahar to target Pakistan as well as Chinese interests in the country.

The June 2020 terrorist attack at the Pakistan Stock Exchange, where China had 40 per cent shares, was carried out by an outlawed Baloch terror outfit. Investigation into the attack concluded that the attackers were in contact with their handlers in Afghanistan.

When the Taliban returned to power in August last year, Pakistan handed over a list of wanted people not just from the TTP but also the Baloch organisations.

The focus remained on the TTP and its handling by the Afghan Taliban but not much discussed about the sanctuaries of Baloch outfits.

Also read: Afghan soil will not be used against Pakistan, Taliban assure NSA

A senior Pakistani official has told The Express Tribune that the Afghan Taliban eliminated all such hideouts of Baloch groups from the Afghan soil. “Most of the Baloch terrorists fled Afghanistan after the Taliban takeover,” the official confirmed while requesting anonymity given the sensitive nature of the issue.

But despite Afghan Taliban denying Baloch groups space to operate out of Afghanistan, there has been a spike in terrorist attacks in Balochistan. At least 10 Pakistani soldiers were martyred when one of their security check posts came under attack by the terrorists in Kech district of province last week.

An IED explosion in Sui area of Dera Bugti two days later also left four security officials dead. Also, a new militant outfit, the Baloch National Army claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack outside a commercial bank in Lahore that left at least three people dead.

Officials say the increase in attacks in the short term was expected as elements backing such groups are desperate but there will be improvement in the long run.

While the Afghan Taliban fully cooperated with Pakistan on Baloch groups, the issue of TTP and other such groups remains a point of concern.

The Afghan Taliban are reluctant to take any action against the TTP or evict their leaders from the Afghan soil. The interim government is instead offering Pakistan its good offices to find some way out where both sides have ‘face saving’.

One official said the interim government in Kabul has adopted the same strategy on the TTP as Pakistan employed over the years with the Americans on the Afghan Taliban.

Pakistan refused to take any action against the Afghan Taliban on its soil under US pressure since it viewed such an approach counterproductive. Instead Islamabad had facilitated dialogue between the Afghan Taliban and the US. The Afghan Taliban are now asking the same to Pakistan. “They are ready to facilitate and mediate but are not going to take action against the TTP,” the official added.

Despite complexities involved, the Pakistani officials are confident that the threat posed by the TTP would be neutralised.

The Afghan interim government on Saturday assured a Pakistani delegation headed by the National Security Adviser (NSA) Dr Moeed Yusuf that the Afghan soil would not be allowed to be used again by anyone against the neighbouring countries including Pakistan.

Read more: NSA, Taliban govt discuss humanitarian assistance to Afghans

Moeed Yusuf on Sunday returned home after the two-day visit to Kabul, where he met Afghanistan’s Acting Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdus Salam Hanafi and the Acting Foreign Minister Mullah Amir Khan Muttaqi to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan and strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries.

Moeed also held delegation level meetings with other relevant Afghan Ministers and senior officials dealing with humanitarian and economic issues.

A statement issued by the PM office here said the objective of the visit was to discuss with Afghan leadership the humanitarian requirements of the country and Pakistan’s proposals for deepening economic engagement to overcome the current challenges Afghanistan is facing. 

"The visit yielded substantive outcomes in terms of forward movement on trade facilitation and social sector support," read an official readout. 

Both sides agreed to establish a National Level Coordination Mechanism for enhancing facilitation at Border Crossing Points. They also agreed to initiate barter trade, modalities for which will be worked out immediately.

During the visit, Pakistan offered Afghanistan capacity building and training support in multiple sectors including Health, Education, Banking, Customs, and Railways and Aviation among others.

Both sides also reiterated their commitment to early completion of the three major connectivity projects, CASA- 1000, TAPI, and Trans-Afghan Rail project. 

Afghanistan and Pakistan emphasised their commitment to ensuring peace and stability in both countries. 

Dr Yusuf thanked the interim Afghan government for their warm hospitality.