Senior Afghan leader Mullah Sherin Akhund will arrive in Islamabad early next month to resolve the stalemate in bilateral ties and resolve differences caused over the actions of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group. He will meet intelligence and foreign office officials.
The visit comes after the Afghan Taliban showed interest in reducing tensions with the Pakistani government over the terrorist group which has caused a fresh wave of terrorism in the country. The terror group now ruling Kabul previously invited Maulana Fazlur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazal) (JUI-F) in hope to facilitate dialogue.
Pakistan foreign office has downplayed the trip and said it was an invitation meant for a private individual, according to a report by news agency Dawn.
Mullah Sherin played several major roles in the Taliban military and political spheres. The report by Dawn said that Sherin is a key figure in the Taliban leadership hierarchy because he was involved in major Taliban activities. He was also one of the liaisons between Pakistan Army and the TTP, acting on behalf of the Taliban administration.
Pakistan-Afghanistan relations are currently strained due to terrorism and also due to recent efforts by Pakistan to send undocumented Afghan migrants back to Afghanistan. Pakistan alleges that TTP plots terror activities against Pakistan from Afghan soil.
Earlier, Taliban-appointed foreign minister Mullah Muttaqi highlighted the lack of high-level communication between Islamabad and Kabul and said it has led to allegations and blame games.
Pakistan hoped that the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021 would help them manage the TTP and the group did manage to hold meetings between the Pakistan Army and the TTP. This resulted in a short-lived ceasefire agreement between the TTP and the Pakistan army.
Pakistan has urged the Taliban administration on several occasions to take decisive action against the TTP and other terror groups operation from Afghanistan and told them to even extradite those who have attacked Pakistan. The Taliban government has shown no interest in Pakistan’s proposals due to its own allegiances and ideological ties.
The newspaper said that there are speculations that the Afghan Taliban has restricted the TTP from launching direct attacks on Pakistan.
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