Pakistani diplomat meets Taliban Defense Minister amid rising border tensions
Amid rising tensions at the border and increasing insecurity in Pakistan, Obaidur Rahman Nizamani, Pakistan’s diplomat in Kabul, met with Mullah Yaqub, the Taliban’s Defense Minister on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Taliban’s Ministry of Defense, Nizamani emphasized the need to expand cooperation and strengthen bilateral relations.
Mullah Yaqub described the Afghanistan-Pakistan relationship as “stable” and expressed the Taliban’s readiness to cooperate fully on economic, trade, and other issues with Islamabad.
This meeting follows recent clashes between Taliban forces and Pakistani border guards in Khost, exacerbating tensions between the two sides.
Pakistan has accused the Taliban of sheltering fighters from the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), who allegedly carry out attacks in Pakistan from Afghanistan’s soil.
The Pakistani military has urged the Taliban to fulfill its commitments and ensure the security of Afghanistan’s borders.
A statement from Pakistan’s military said, “The interim Afghan government is expected not to allow its territory to be used by foreign terrorists to carry out acts of terrorism against Pakistan.”
The Pakistani military refers to TTP members as “Khawarij” following the launch of Operation “Azm-e-Istihkam” against the group.
Pakistan claims that the Afghan Taliban is supporting the Pakistani Taliban and allowing the country soil to be used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.
Earlier, an Indian media outlet reported that China’s envoy is working to reduce tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan.
In light of these developments, there have been several diplomatic initiatives aimed at easing tensions. However, challenges remain as both sides continue to accuse each other of failing to honor commitments.
The ongoing conflict involving the Pakistani Taliban complicates the already fragile relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with regional stability hanging in the balance.
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