There is some constructive news from Kabul after a long hiatus. In an act of retribution, the Afghan Taliban have reportedly eliminated the hardened criminals of the Islamic State-Khorasan who were involved in attacks on Pakistani interests. It is said that eight militants were killed, and as many arrested, in a blistering operation carried out by Taliban forces in Kabul and Nimroz, where the suspects were holed in. The fact that Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid himself issued a presser and confirmed details of the shootout makes it a meaningful affair. This development had come as a shot in the arm for Taliban who were seen regressing at the hands of militants who are bent upon pushing the restive state once again in disarray and mayhem.
Pakistan’s mission in Kabul came under attack on December 2 last year, and the dreaded IS-K had claimed responsibility for it. Likewise, frequent attacks on the Chaman border by a host of non-state actors had literally pushed Pakistan-Afghan relations to their lowest ebb. It is a good sign that the Taliban leadership is taking the onus of netting down elements who are faceless and acting from the shadows. Exterminating TTP terrorists, who of late had announced a war on Pakistan, is one of Islamabad’s fundamental demands of Kabul, and it is good to see that some action is in the making. Similarly, the IS-K has reportedly made inroads deeply on both sides of the divide, and this action on the part of the ruling dispensation in Kabul will surely act as a deterrent, and help in thwarting their nefarious designs.
Mending ties with Afghanistan forms a priority for Pakistan. Likewise, Kabul is in need of reciprocating by walking the talk of eliminating the terror nexus from Afghan soil. The recent regrouping of militants and their activities is a grave threat to the region. The Taliban as the de jure entity must lead from the front and crack down on such fissures. Unless the Taliban free their country from extraterritorial elements, their utility and survival will remain a riddle.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 6th, 2023.
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