The Taliban leader’s top aide arrives tomorrow

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD:

Afghanistan’s interim government is trying to mend ties with Pakistan over the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as a close associate of the Afghan Taliban’s top leader prepares for crucial talks with authorities in Islamabad on Wednesday.

A Taliban delegation, led by Kandahar Governor Mullah Shereen Ahud, will travel to Pakistan on January 3 (tomorrow) in a fresh bid to ease escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries.

The delegation will include members of the Afghan intelligence service, the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), as well as representatives from their defense and intelligence ministries. This meeting marks the first high-level contact between the two nations in months.

Pakistan effectively cut off high-level communications with the Afghan Taliban government over Kabul’s failure to crack down on the TTP and its affiliates.

In recent months, Pakistan has strongly criticized the TTP’s use of Afghan territory to carry out cross-border terrorist attacks. Islamabad has now publicly accused the Kabul regime of harboring enemies of Pakistan.

Despite repeated calls to neutralize the TTP menace, terrorist attacks continue from across the border. On the last day of 2023, Pakistan thwarted a terrorist infiltration attempt and responded to cross-border firing.

Mullah Ahud is scheduled to meet senior Pakistani officials, including Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Asif Durrani. The main focus of the discussions will revolve around dealing with the banned TTP, sources said.

The two sides will also discuss border fencing, visa-free crossing at Chaman border, handover of TTP members or their relocation away from border areas and most importantly, the possibility of reviving talks between Pakistan and TTP.

Talks would initially begin at the committee level and later progress to the ministry level. Those talks are likely to be followed by a second round in Kabul next week.

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The delegation will also convey the message of Taliban chief Mullah Habitullah Akhundzada to Islamabad on several issues and set the agenda for JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s visit to Afghanistan.

A senior Pakistani official told The Express Tribune on Monday that Pakistan has taken a firm stand, saying it does not intend to engage with the terror group. “Our request is clear. The Afghan Taliban must prevent the TTP from launching attacks against Pakistan,” the official stressed.

It is believed that the senior aide to the supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban aims to convince Pakistan of the seriousness of the Kabul regime in dealing with the problem.

Afghanistan’s Taliban government has been reluctant to take action against the TTP, citing a number of reasons.

Instead, Kabul urged Pakistan to negotiate with the terror group.

Officials here are not overly optimistic about Mullah Ahud’s visit. “Let’s wait for the results of the talks. It is premature to predict whether this visit will yield any breakthrough,” the official noted.

Observers perceive that the Taliban government faces pressure to meet Pakistan’s expectations, given the country’s importance to its international recognition. Amid deteriorating relations, Pakistan has recently shifted its policy from supporting the Taliban government to international forums.

Last month, Pakistan informed the United Nations Security Council that any engagement with the Taliban government should be contingent on action being taken against terrorist organizations, including the TTP.

Mullah Sherin Akhund served as the governor of Kabul from 24 August 2021 to 7 November 2021. He was also a member of the Taliban negotiating team at the Qatar Office of the Islamic Emirates.

He also served as the head of security for Taliban founder Mullah Omar during his 1996-2001 rule of Afghanistan. He was one of Mullah Omar’s close associates and also served as the commander of the Taliban’s military intelligence.