ISLAMABAD/KABUL: The Taliban government of Afghanistan condemned a “provocative” statement from the minister of interior indicating Islamabad may engage in cross-border action against the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militant group, saying it damaged the good relations between the two neighbouring nations.
“The Ministry of National Defense considers as provocative and baseless recent speeches of the Pakistani Interior Minister about the presence of TTP in Afghanistan and their possible attack inside Afghanistan,” Kabul said in a statement.
Tensions have mounted, in particular, due to the growing TTP attacks targeting security forces in the months since the Taliban takeover in 2021. Pakistan’s use of cross-border airstrikes is tied to the trajectory of the TTP in Afghanistan and Islamabad’s growing frustration with the Taliban’s failure to restrain the group.
Since its resurgence a few years ago, the TTP has strengthened its bases in Afghanistan to attack Pakistan — especially in areas where the Taliban’s territorial influence as an insurgency was significant. After taking over the country, the Taliban gave the TTP de-facto political asylum.
The TTP has used its improved political status in Afghanistan to step-up cross-border attacks and is now regularly sending fighters into Pakistan.
Last week, in an interview with Express News, Rana Sanaullah Khan said Pakistan may target TTP hideouts in Afghanistan if its Taliban rulers did not take any action against the group.
“Afghanistan is our brotherly country and we will first talk to them to dismantle the TTP hideouts and hand over the group’s members to Pakistan,” the minister had said.
But Kabul, in its latest statement, claimed it was in possession of “proof” of TTP bases inside Pakistan and such “claims by Pakistani officials harm good relations between two brotherly neighbouring countries”.
“Afghanistan calls for resolution of every concern through understanding,” the statement added.
It also said that Afghanistan was “ready to defend its territorial integrity and independence” and knew how to defend the country.
Greatly emboldened by the Afghan Taliban’s rise to power, TTP has declared the former as their role model and launched an escalating terror campaign inside Pakistan from its bases in Afghanistan.
Following the upsurge in militancy in tribal areas, the security forces are facing direct attacks from the TTP, leading the government to complain about terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan.
