In the wake of the recent tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghan Affairs, has stated that the de facto administration of Afghanistan should choose either Pakistan or the Pakistani Taliban, known as the “TTP,” as its ally.
This Pakistani diplomat recently emphasized the need for Islamabad to reaffirm its position on Afghanistan in the aftermath of the forced deportation of Afghan migrants and the worsening of bilateral relations between the two countries. He made these remarks during a television program titled “Ambassador’s Lounge.”
Asif Durrani, in his statements, has claimed that around six thousand Pakistani Taliban fighters are present in Afghanistan along with their families.
However, Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban administration, rejected these claims when speaking with the BBC.
Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghan Affairs also mentioned that following the resurgence of the Taliban administration, attacks in Pakistan have increased by 67%, and suicide bombings have seen a 15% upward trend.
With the increase in TTP attacks in Pakistan, authorities in the country attribute the insecurity to Afghan soil and call on the Taliban administration to hand over TTP militants to the Pakistani government.
Durrani noted, “The Taliban claim that security has been established in Afghanistan, corruption has been eliminated, and the economy is on the path to improvement; hence, the perception is that peace in Afghanistan translates to a nightmare in Pakistan.”
Following the decision to expel over a million undocumented Afghan migrants by the Pakistani government on the eve of winter, relations between the two countries have deteriorated significantly.
