ISLAMABAD: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Saturday said that he will leave for Kabul on Sunday (tomorrow) at the invitation of the interim Afghan government and that the issue of the banned militant group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was on the agenda of his visit.
The representative of the Taliban government and Afghan envoy in Islamabad had officially invited Maulana Fazlur Rehman a few days ago to visit Afghanistan, his first since the Taliban takeover in Kabul in 2021.
The JUI-F chief had last travelled to Afghanistan in 2013 and met then-president Hamid Karzai.
Relations between the Taliban government and Pakistan have seen a rapid deterioration after an increase in terrorist attacks in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
It is pertinent to mention here that repatriation of illegal foreign nationals including Afghans to their homeland is continued in a dignified and safe manner.
The apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) in a meeting on October 3, chaired by Caretaker PM Anwaarul Haq Kakar gave a deadline to all foreign nationals living illegally in the country until October 31 to leave voluntarily or face deportation.
“I have received an invitation with the approval of the Taliban supreme leader and will meet him,” the JUI-F chief told a group of reporters at his Islamabad residence on Saturday, saying that he would travel to Kandahar for a meeting with Taliban supreme leader Sheikh Haibatullah Akhundzada, who rarely meets foreign delegates.
About taking up the issue of TTP with the Afghan side, he replied in affirmative, saying “Yes there is a possibility. We will use our relationship for goodwill.”
To a question about whether he would represent the government, the JUI-F chief said the visit was arranged by his party but he had contacted the Foreign Office (FO) and relevant government officials as well. “We will look into consideration of the interests of Pakistan and Afghanistan,” he added.
Fazl said the FO had arranged a briefing for him on January 3. “They informed me about Pakistan’s stance and its demands. I have realised that officials are attaching importance to my visit. The government is in contact with me,” he added.
To a question on whether he would deliver any message from the government to the Taliban rulers, he said he would use the level of his contacts with the Taliban leaders to the benefit of both countries.
“I will apprise the Taliban leaders of the stance of the government of Pakistan and whatever I have noticed during my meetings with the officials,” the JUI-F leader maintained.
When asked if his visit would help reduce tension between Pakistan and the Taliban government, he said it depended on the two countries.
“If they want to maintain brotherly relations and friendship, then complicated issues could be resolved. But if they do not have intentions, then small issues become big.
“The signals I have received indicate Pakistan’s desire that my visit produce results,” Rehman said.
“The Afghan side is also giving importance to the visit as the Taliban chief has personally extended an invitation to me”.
To another question on whether he would raise the issue of girls’ education with the Taliban leaders, he said there was no issue of girls’ education in Islamic law but every country had the right to adopt policies about internal affairs, peace and security, trade, economy and social reforms.
“There is no political change in Afghanistan but a 20-year war has ended. What is the problem of the world to talk about every issue in Afghanistan and try to force the Islamic Emirate to accept their demands.”
The visit is scheduled at a time when relations between the two countries have suffered due to a spike in terrorist attacks, mostly claimed by the TTP group.
Islamabad has stated that the TTP and other groups use Afghan soil against Pakistan. The Afghan Taliban have denied the charge and have stated they will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil to be used against the neighbour. But authorities remain unconvinced and have demanded action against the TTP, its sanctuaries and the handover of its leaders.
