Forget them not

It is disquieting to see representation and outright advocacy of the Afghan Taliban by our ministers including the prime minister. There may be some advantages of a friendly Taliban regime in Afghanistan, but then there is a flip side also. When our ministers urge the world to support and even recognise the Taliban regime in Kabul, as the National Security Advisor (NSA), Moeed Yusuf, has done, it only strengthens the suspicions of the world that Pakistan supports the Afghan Taliban. Afghanistan has its own government in place now, so there is no need for our leaders to become champions of the Taliban.

It was also troubling to find out that Pakistan may be inclined to give some sort of an amnesty to the TTP. The TTP has indulged in the carnage of thousands of innocent Pakistanis including members of the armed forces. To entertain the idea of a sort of amnesty would be a step back. Our armed forces are capable of dealing with the TTP in an appropriate manner. The Afghan government must also be pressured to evict the TTP from its territory and not let them use it to terrorise Pakistan.

Akbar Jan Marwat

Islamabad