The interim Taliban government in Kabul has offered to act as a mediator between Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Pakistan, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Tuesday.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban government, said: “Kabul can play a mediating role between Pakistan and TTP if it receives a message from Islamabad.”
He added: “We will take action against anti-Pakistan elements if given evidence.
“We have a very close relationship with Pakistan. Three million Afghan refugees are living in Pakistan.
Zabiullah also warned that any attack on Afghanistan would be aggression and it would increase hatred.
Reportedly, the Afghan Taliban initially brokered talks between Pakistan and TTP, but the latter unilaterally ended a cease-fire in November 2022.
Since then, Pakistan has seen a dramatic rise in attacks, primarily against military and security personnel in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan has been voicing concerns over the cross-border attacks by the armed group from Afghanistan.
Recently, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the country would not hesitate to launch attacks on the territory of Afghanistan.
“If the need arises, there is nothing more important than Pakistan’s sovereignty,” he replied to an interviewer when asked whether Pakistan would consider cross-border attacks to control perpetrators.
He said, “It is also a violation of international norms when Afghan soil is used to export terrorism, with those responsible receiving protection and safe havens by the people there,” he added.