Pakistan in a renewed push to resolve TTP issue

ISLAMABAD:

On a day Pakistan celebrated its Independence Day, Afghan Taliban on Wednesday marked the third anniversary of their return to power with a military parade held at a former US airbase.

Three years ago, some in Pakistan were ecstatic when the Taliban regained control of Kabul, even as the last batch of US forces remained on Afghan soil.

But the three-year rule of Taliban proved nothing but a "nightmare" for Pakistan, commented an official here.

As the Taliban celebrated their three years in power, Pakistan is working quietly to give one more chance to the hardline regime to choose between Islamabad and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Sources familiar with the development told The Express Tribune that Pakistan once again was trying to resolve the issue of cross-border terrorism through diplomacy.

That was why Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Syed Asim Munir offered an olive branch to the Taliban regime twice within a few days.

The latest conciliatory message came from the army chief last night during Independence Day celebration event held at the Pakistan Military Academy Kakul.

The COAS urged Kabul not to prefer outlawed TTP over its longstanding relationship with Pakistan.

Sources said the message was aimed at giving a clear message across the border that Pakistan is keen to work with the Taliban government provided they addressed the country's concern over terrorist sanctuaries.

They said a similar message was conveyed to the Taliban government through diplomatic channels.

"The ball is in the Taliban government's court," another official said.

Despite repeated demands, the Afghan Taliban have refused to take action against the TTP and its affiliates.

Taliban government has in the past advanced this view that taking action against TTP would only complicate the matter and members of the terrorist outfit may join Daesh Khorasan.

"If we look at the history of Afghanistan, the Taliban's government is the strongest government in the past 40 years. They have control over the entire country. ISIS opposed them, but the Taliban have largely diminished this threat. For these reasons, I consider the Taliban's government to be quite strong," remarked Dr Asfand Yar Mir, security expert associated with US Institute of Peace.

"If I view it from this perspective, it is very difficult for me to believe that the Taliban cannot stop the TTP because they lack the capability or because they fear that the TTP might align with ISIS," he argued.

Kabul is adamant that Pakistan should resolve the TTP issue through dialogue and may for this purpose accommodate the terrorist outfit.

Pakistan has made it clear that it will not make any compromise that undermines its writ, sovereignty or the Constitution.

But despite Taliban's reluctance to neutralise the TTP threat, Pakistan is willing to give Kabul another chance to revisit its strategy.

Pakistan's Permanent Representative to UN Ambassador Munir Akram recently told The Express Tribune that Pakistan could influence the Taliban's policy on TTP.

He said for this purpose Pakistan was working at bilateral, regional and international levels.

Relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan hinges on Kabul's commitment to tackle TTP.

However, experts are skeptical that Pakistan's renewed push may not succeed, given the ideological affiliation and deep-rooted connections between the Afghan Taliban and the TTP.