Taliban assures no one can use Pakistani territory
The Afghan Taliban says it wants Pakistan to choose peace over war. Stating that Afghanistan does not interfere in the internal affairs of any country, the Taliban assured Pakistan that it would not allow anyone to use its territory.
The Taliban asked Pakistan to prefer peace over war and assured that Afghanistan would not allow anyone to use its territory against Islamabad.
Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Mawlawi Abdul Kabir said on Thursday that Pakistan is not only a neighboring country but also Afghanistan's Muslim brother and Kabul wants lasting peace here, Yeni Safak quoted Anadolu as saying.
"We have seen the bitter experiences of wars. We advise Pakistan to prefer peace instead of wars," Kabir told, according to state-run Bakhtar News.
ASSURED PAKISTAN
"We will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against Pakistan or any neighboring country," Kabir said, adding that Afghanistan does not interfere in the internal affairs of any country.
Last week, 12 Pakistani soldiers and seven militants were killed in two attacks and subsequent operations in Balochistan's Zhob and Sui districts, further heightening tensions between the two neighbors.
WHAT HAPPENED?
This February, Pakistan's top defense and intelligence officials warned of action against Kabul if terrorists involved in cross-border attacks are not eliminated, hinting at the Pakistan Taliban (TTP), a faction of the Taliban which has attacked military and civilian installations across Pakistan over the past decade.
Taliban officials have denied TTP presence in Afghanistan, saying all of its leadership has relocated to Pakistan following the Taliban takeover of Kabul in August 2021, reported Anadolu.
Tensions between the two neighbors have risen after the Taliban removed border fencing at some points along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border last year, resulting in an increase in TTP terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
Previously, Pakistan was believed to have some influence over the Afghan Taliban, and their return to power was seen as a major strategic victory for Islamabad. However, relations between the two countries have deteriorated amid rising attacks in Pakistan.
Source: Yeni Safak - AA
