Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advisor criticizes Pakistan’s lack of engagement with Afghanistan on terrorism
Mohammad Ali Saif, Advisor to the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, criticized the Pakistani government for its lack of engagement with Afghanistan on the issue of terrorism. He emphasized that Pakistan’s security is directly linked to the situation in Afghanistan.
In a report on Saturday, March 22, Geo News stated that Saif questioned why the government, if aware of the source of the problem, does not engage in dialogue with Afghanistan to resolve it. He also pointed out that federal officials not only avoid talks with Kabul but actively prevent others from doing so.
Saif highlighted the importance of allowing provincial leaders to negotiate with Afghanistan, especially as the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been the primary targets of attacks. He suggested that negotiations, particularly with the Taliban, could help reduce the recent surge in terrorism.
The Advisor also reminded that after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, the Taliban had promised to address Pakistan’s security concerns. However, he noted that relations between Islamabad and Kabul soured after the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) came to power in April 2022, leading to a halt in negotiations.
Saif attributed the continued insecurity in Pakistan to the federal government’s weak performance in dealing with terrorism. He claimed that while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chief Minister, Ali Amin Gandapur, is trying to manage the situation, the federal government must take responsibility for ending this ongoing conflict.
Saif rejected remarks by Talal Chaudhry, a leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, regarding Ali Amin Gandapur, calling them “baseless.” He further accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of publicly suggesting that insurgents avoid Punjab and carry out operations elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has repeatedly accused the Taliban of supporting armed groups and has called for serious action against them. This ongoing tension highlights the challenges Pakistan faces in addressing both domestic terrorism and regional security concerns.
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