The Islamic Emirate denied the claims made by Pakistan's special representative to Afghanistan regarding the presence of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in the country.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Islamic Emirate, said that the Afghan soil is not allowed to be used against other countries, including Pakistan.
"We reject the presence of any ... foreign groups in Afghanistan and they are not allowed to operate on Afghan soil. In this regard, we have made our utmost effort and continue to do so; but one thing we must accept is that Afghanistan shares a very long border area with Pakistan, and there are places with rugged terrain including mountains and forests, and places that might be out of our control," said Zabihullah Mujahid.
Recently, Asif Ali Durani, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, claimed that five to six thousand members of the TTP are sheltered in Afghanistan.
According to Pakistani media reports, Durani, during the "Peace and Reconciliation in Afghanistan: Pakistan's Interests and Policy Options' seminar organized by the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies, accused India of supporting the TTP in Afghan territory.
“Islamabad has evidence that the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is getting money from India through Afghan proxies, estimating that 5,000 to 6,000 TTP militants have taken shelter in Afghanistan, Pakistan, during talks, had told the interim government in Kabul that the latter needed to make TTP surrender and disarm the group and detain its leadership. TTP is the red line for Pakistan," Durani was quoted as saying in the report.
Several experts believe that Pakistan should address its concerns about the presence of TTP militants in Afghanistan through dialogue and engagement with the Islamic Emirate.
"Pakistan's excuses that India is strengthening them and coming through Afghanistan, so what is Pakistan afraid of? Come sit down and solve your issue with India and with Afghanistan, come sit down and solve your issues. What problems do you have with the Afghan people? Come and solve them," said Yusuf Amin Zazai, a political analyst.
"The foreign minister of this country should be invited by the Afghan foreign minister to resolve these issues through discussion and understanding, instead of dragging Afghanistan's neighborhood disputes to the international table," said Sayed Qaribullah Sadat, another political analyst.
Previously, Pakistan's special representative to Afghanistan, accusing the Islamic Emirate of harboring the TTP in Afghanistan, stated that TTP attacks have increased by 65% at the Pakistan border -- claims that the Islamic Emirate has denied.
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