Kakar wrote ‘routine’ letter to Afghan PM

FO sources deny neighbouring country’s media reports that it was ‘reconciliatory’

ISLAMABAD :

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar wrote a letter to his Afghan counterpart, expressing his desire for cordial and cooperative relationship between the two neighbouring countries, Foreign Office sources on Sunday maintained.

Contrary to the Afghan media reports, the FO sources told The Express Tribune that the interim premier wrote a letter in response to the felicitation message sent earlier by the Afghan prime minister on his appointment.

"It was a routine diplomatic practice. There was nothing unusual about it," an FO official said, downplaying the importance of the letter.

The official emphasised that it was wrong to interpret that PM Kakar wrote a letter to his Afghan counterpart as part of an effort to control the damage in view of the ongoing tensions between the two countries.

The Afghan media reported that contrary to the Pakistani prime minister’s “aggressive” public posturing, he was “reconciliatory” towards the interim Afghan Taliban government in his letter.

However, the FO sources said the letter was written in "courtesy" as part of the usual practice whenever foreign dignitaries send facilitation messages.

Pakistan and Afghanistan’s relations have been tense for weeks over the lack of progress on the banned outfit, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The main border crossing remained closed for eight days after Pakistan and Afghan forces exchanged fire there.
Each side accused the other for initiating the firing and the subsequent closure of the Torkham border.

The same day when Pakistan and Afghan forces clashed, hundreds of TTP terrorists launched an attack from across the border in Chitral region.

Pakistan believes that the Afghan Taliban have been harbouring the TTP and not taken enough steps to control the terrorist outfit.

It is said the Torkham border was reopened after the Taliban leadership assured Islamabad not to allow the Afghan soil to be used against Pakistan.

However, the sources said the issue was far from resolved as tensions still persisted between the two countries.

The Afghan Taliban have denied that the TTP was operating from their country’s soil and insisted it was Pakistan’s internal matter.

US Special Representative on Afghanistan Tom West in a recent statement said the TTP, under the Afghan Taliban, had flourished and the group was posing a threat to regional security with increased attacks against Pakistan.

Interestingly at the same, according to the US envoy, other groups including Daesh, and al-Qaeda have been weakened since the return of the Afghan Taliban to power in August 2021.

Pakistan is upset that the Afghan Taliban are not ready to address its concerns. There are options on the table including possible cross-border strikes if the TTP attacks continue.