ISLAMABAD (Agencies): The Army Chief of Pakistan issued a strong warning to the interim Afghan Taliban government regarding the presence of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) across the border.
General Asim Munir, during his visit to the Quetta Garrison, expressed concerns over TTP’s safe havens in Afghanistan and urged the Afghan government to not allow its soil to be used for terrorism against any country. The Army Chief highlighted the involvement of Afghan nationals in recent acts of terrorism in Pakistan and emphasized that such attacks would be met with an effective response from Pakistan’s security forces. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to continue operations against terrorists until the menace of terrorism is eradicated from the country.
The Army Chief’s statement reflects Pakistan’s frustration with the lack of cooperation from the Afghan Taliban in addressing the TTP threat. Despite previous attempts to find a common ground, the Afghan Taliban’s reluctance to act against the TTP and its leadership remains a major challenge. Pakistan no longer seeks talks with the TTP and has been urging the Afghan Taliban to neutralize the banned outfit. However, these efforts have not yielded significant progress. The Army Chief’s recent statement indicates that there is currently no appetite in Pakistan for dialogue with the TTP.
In a separate development, General Asim is on a two-day official visit to Tehran, marking his first visit to Iran since assuming the position of Army Chief. During the visit, he will meet with Iranian military and civilian leadership to discuss bilateral matters related to defense and security cooperation.