Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former special representative for Afghanistan, says the Taliban’s insistence that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is “Pakistan’s problem” indicates that the group does not intend to take action against TTP.
Durrani wrote on X on Friday, July 31, that this position has continued since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan and has significantly weakened prospects for establishing stable relations between Pakistan and the Taliban.
He added that, as a result, mediation efforts by Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and China to reduce tensions between the Taliban and Islamabad have so far produced no significant results.
The former Pakistani envoy also said the Taliban’s approach suggests that they prioritize maintaining relations with TTP over addressing Islamabad’s legitimate security concerns.
According to Durrani, this stance is particularly concerning as the Taliban are themselves facing growing internal challenges, including unrest in Badakhshan province.
He warned that ignoring Pakistan’s security concerns while facing increasing internal pressure could lead to greater instability in bilateral relations between Pakistan and the Taliban, as well as at the regional level.
