We do not want Talibanisation of Pakistan: FM

By News Desk

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Friday said the strengthening of the ranks of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was not in Pakistan’s interests and categorically stated the country would not favour any sort of Talibanisation.

“The comeback of the TTP is not in Pakistan’s interest. We do not want the Talibanisation of our country,” the foreign minister said in his remarks at a meeting of the Senate’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, here at the Parliament House.

Qureshi’s remarks to the committee come as Afghanistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammad Hanif Atmar sought Pakistan’s help to end the conflict in Afghanistan, saying that he hoped Islamabad would persuade the Taliban to return to talks again, according to an exclusive Geo News report.

In the Senate foreign affairs panel meeting, the foreign minister expressed concern over the chances of civil war breaking out in Afghanistan after foreign forces completely exit the country and said Pakistan does not want such a scenario to repeat. He stressed that a “power sharing” of different Afghan factions is the best option to avert a civil war.

He said Pakistan desires an honourable return of Afghan refugees, which he said, should be made part of the Afghan peace process. He called upon the international community to find a solution for their repatriation to their homeland.

The foreign minister said after the Taliban refused to attend the Istanbul Peace Process, Pakistan held a tripartite meeting with Afghanistan and Turkey. Qureshi said Pakistan would welcome the support extended by China for the stability of Afghanistan.

On Iran, he said the relationship was getting stronger and mentioned the agreement with Tehran on establishment of border markets.

Speaking during the meeting the Prime Minister’s aide on national security Moeed Yusuf said Pakistan wants the end of violence in Afghanistan in order to prevent any fallout of it on Pakistan.

He further warned that if refugee influx was not stopped, then it could lead to the arrival of TTP elements in Pakistan in their guise. The situation in Afghanistan is going out of our hands, Yusuf added.

The remarks in the meeting underscore just how complicated the situation in the neighbouring country has become, with the volatility driving the Afghan government to urge Pakistan once again to bring the Taliban back to talks.

In an exclusive interview with Geo News, Afghan foreign minister Hanif Atmar said Kabul had great expectations from Pakistan. “We are hopeful Pakistan will help Afghanistan disrupt the Taliban’s supply and ‘brutal campaign’,” said the Afghan minister.

In response to a question about whether the Afghan government thinks the US betrayed it, Atmar said that Washington signed an agreement with the Taliban with honest intentions. “The Taliban did not fulfil their part of the deal and deceived the whole world,” he said. “The Taliban are making a huge mistake. All of us have extended a hand of friendship towards them,” he added. He said the Afghan government was telling the Taliban to honour the Doha peace deal, adding that Kabul had fulfilled its obligations of the deal when it came to the prisoners exchange and ensuring foreign troops leave the country.

The TTP and al-Qaeda have banded forces with other terrorist elements and are fighting alongside the Taliban against the government of Afghanistan, Atmar claimed. “We are monitoring links between the TTP, Taliban and al-Qaeda on a daily basis,” said Atmer. “These ties certainly exist.”

The Afghan foreign minister said these elements were fighting against the “government and people of Afghanistan” alongside the Taliban, adding that these elements were fighting the Afghanistan government in Badakhshan, Kunduz, Faryab and other provinces of the country.

Speaking about the militants, Atmar said the Afghan government has divided these groups of foreign fighters into three categories. “The first among them are the [terror groups] that are fighting for a global agenda, such as al-Qaeda and Daesh,” he said.

“Then, we have regional players,” the Afghan minister said. “[These include] the TTP, Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, ITIM, the Ansarullah and Jundullah are also fighting with them [Taliban],” he added.

“The entire region, not Afghanistan alone, is at threat from these groups,” he stressed. “Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, India, Russia and the Middle East are in danger from these groups,” he said.

Atmar said the government of Afghanistan spoke about regional cooperation as “there are no good or bad terrorists and they all are the same”. “Peace between Afghanistan and the Taliban will ensure these elements do not find a safe haven in Afghanistan,” he added.