Pakistan has briefed China about the use of Afghan land by terrorist groups, including the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Pakistani officials presented new evidence showing how these groups are threatening the region’s peace.
The evidence was shared with China’s special envoy on Afghanistan, Ambassador Yue Xiaoyong, during his visit to Islamabad on Monday. This came just days after Russian special envoy Zamir Kabulov’s trip to the city to discuss Afghanistan’s situation with Pakistani leaders.
A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Office confirmed that Ambassador Yue met with Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. He also had in-depth discussions with the Additional Foreign Secretary for Afghanistan and West Asia, Ambassador Ahmad Naseem Warraich.
The two sides talked about Afghanistan’s situation and the role neighboring countries play in maintaining peace there. They agreed on the importance of a stable and peaceful Afghanistan for regional security.
However, sources said that Pakistan used this opportunity to highlight the ongoing problem of Afghan territory being used by terrorist groups. The Pakistani government shared strong evidence showing how groups like the TTP are operating from sanctuaries in Afghanistan, threatening Pakistan’s security.
Officials told the Chinese envoy that the Afghan Taliban had failed to control these groups despite multiple calls from Pakistan and the international community. The Taliban’s unwillingness to act against these groups has been a significant concern for Islamabad.
Pakistani officials stressed that it was time for the international community to adopt a collective approach to push the Afghan Taliban to honor their promises. These promises include taking action against the terrorist groups that use Afghan soil for attacks.
China had previously tried to mediate between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban on this issue. However, those efforts did not bring about the desired results. The main reason for the failure was the Taliban’s refusal to evict TTP members from Afghanistan.
Pakistan still believes that China holds some leverage over the Taliban and can encourage Kabul to address Islamabad’s concerns. Pakistan’s security situation has worsened since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in August 2021.
Initially, Pakistan had hoped that the Taliban would prevent Afghan land from being used against them. However, since the Taliban returned to power, the TTP and other groups have become more powerful.
The Afghan Taliban’s refusal to act against these terrorist groups has damaged the relationship between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Now, the two countries only have limited communication. Pakistan has made it clear that any future cooperation depends on the Taliban taking clear and verifiable action against the terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan.
