Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government Spokesperson Calls for Dialogue with Afghanistan to Address Terrorism

Peshawar:Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, the spokesperson for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, has questioned the federal government’s reluctance to engage with Afghanistan despite claiming that the roots of terrorism are connected to the neighboring country. Speaking on Geo News’ program “Naya Pakistan,” Barrister Saif argued that if the federal government acknowledges Afghanistan’s role in terrorism, then there should be no obstacle to holding talks with Afghanistan.

He pointed out that the government neither engages with Afghanistan itself nor allows others to do so. Saif stressed that the federal government should permit the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to engage with Afghanistan since the people of the province are directly impacted by the ongoing terrorism. He expressed confidence that engaging with Afghanistan could help reduce the wave of terrorism.

The KP government spokesperson further emphasized that it is crucial to talk to all organizations active against Pakistan, questioning whether the ultimate goal is to continue fighting or to resolve the issue. He suggested that Pakistan should initiate talks with Afghanistan to urge them to control the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Barrister Saif also mentioned that after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, an agreement was made for the Afghan Taliban to engage in discussions with Pakistan regarding issues between the two countries. However, when the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government took power in April 2022, the matter was sidelined, and relations with Afghanistan deteriorated. He attributed the ongoing conflict to the government’s incompetence and insisted that the issue could have been resolved had the government taken timely action.

Addressing the ongoing terrorism issue, Saif remarked that the flames of terrorism are currently burning on Pakistani soil, and efforts are being made by Ali Amin Gandapur to extinguish them. He stressed that the federal government holds the responsibility for ending the war on terror. He dismissed the remarks made by Talal Chaudhry as foolish, clarifying that Ali Amin Gandapur had not made such statements.

Saif added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously addressed terrorists in his public speeches, warning them not to come towards Pakistan but leaving the rest of their actions to them. He reiterated that opening dialogue and managing borders effectively are crucial for resolving the issues, and that it is the federal government’s responsibility to maintain these diplomatic channels. Lastly, he suggested to Talal Chaudhry that he should focus on organizational matters instead of making such statements.