On Thursday, the Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) organised a consultation on “Afghan peace and reconciliation: Pakistan’s interests and policy options,” where experts warned that the banned terrorist organisation Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was forming a nexus with Baloch separatists and local militant groups in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
This development would likely worsen Pakistan’s already precarious security situation. Participants in the consultation included political party and civil society representatives, academics, and journalists. The main themes of the consultation were “Pak-Afghan bilateral relations: challenges and way forward” and “Emerging Afghan situation and its implications for the region.”
According to experts, the TTP has started carrying out terrorist attacks in Pashtoon areas of Balochistan, which is a new development. The experts also said that there was no clarity about Pakistan’s policy for Afghanistan, and the ruling coalition was unclear about how to deal with the TTP since talks with the group failed last year.
They added that the TTP and other local militant groups were filling the space left by mainstream and nationalist political parties in KP, promoting political and nationalist thoughts to achieve their vested interests.
Since the Taliban took over Kabul in August 2021, Islamite militants, including TTP, and separatists have increased their attacks in Balochistan. Experts at the consultation claimed that the banned group was promoting its political agenda in the province by showing its sympathies for the people of Balochistan, demonstrating that it wanted to increase its presence there.
They also said that the local militant and separatist groups had entered into some sort of understanding with TTP and argued that the government should open its doors for talks with all militant groups.
President of the International Research Council for Religious Affairs, Mohammad Israr Madani, emphasised the need to enhance people-to-people contacts and trade to decrease Afghans’ hostility towards Pakistan.
He said Pakistan should hold continuous talks with Afghanistan on different issues and make its border management policy people-friendly to facilitate the Afghan people.
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