Kabul seeks ‘alternatives’ to tackle TTP

Sources maintain recent contacts between Pakistan and Afghanistan could not break deadlock

ISLAMABAD:

The Afghan Taliban government has asked Pakistan to suggest alternative ways to tackle the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as Kabul has flatly refused to use force against the terrorist outfit.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been running high for months over the TTP issue. At the heart of the stalemate is the reluctance by the Afghan Taliban to rein in the TTP.

Despite simmering tensions, the two countries have been in touch through appropriate channels to deal with the situation.

Sources familiar with the development told The Express Tribune on Monday that recent contacts could not break the deadlock as the Afghan Taliban remained stuck to their stance.

While Pakistan has pushed for the use of force to neutralise the TTP, the Taliban regime has been urging for alternative ways to deal with the problem.

The Afghan media reports quoting unnamed Taliban officials said Kabul would not take action against the TTP for two main reasons – TTP fought alongside the Taliban during the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan – secondly, it is against the Afghan tradition to act against their “guests.”

Similarly, the Afghan Taliban feared that any punitive action against the TTP would compel its fighters to join the Daesh terrorist outfit, which the Afghan Taliban consider as their number one enemy.

Sources noted that the Afghan Taliban were giving the same reason to Pakistan for their lack of action against the TTP, adding that this policy was not acceptable to Islamabad.

It is believed that the Afghan Taliban wanted the resumption of talks between Pakistan and the TTP. Islamabad has abandoned the process after the change of army command in November last year. Also, the previous rounds of talks could not produce the desired results as the number of terrorist attacks has only gone up.

Read Pakistan weighs options to tackle cross-border TTP threat

Pakistan has set a clear precondition for any talks with the TTP which envisages that the terrorist outfit completely lays down arms, submit to Pakistan’s Constitution and law and only then Islamabad could consider dialogue.

However, the Taliban government wanted Pakistan to adhere to reported commitments it made during talks held earlier. Taliban officials reportedly claimed that 90 per cent of issues between Pakistan and the TTP were sorted out before the talks broke down.

However, sources here said the TTP wanted the restoration of status of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and giving the group liberty to operate in parts of the bordering areas.

Sources said Pakistan would not compromise on its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Taliban were told in clear terms that Pakistan would not negotiate with terrorists.

Since the Taliban return to power, the number of terrorist attacks rose by 60 per cent while the suicide attacks went up by 500 per cent.

The surge in violence was contrary to Pakistan's expectations. Islamabad at the time of Kabul's fall hoped that the Afghan Taliban government would take care of its security concerns. But the situation only got worse.