Islamabad:
Pakistan will launch new diplomatic efforts to convince Afghanistan’s interim Taliban government to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries as part of a new plan approved by Afghanistan’s civilian and military leadership, people familiar with the situation said on Sunday.
The Central Supreme Committee for the National Action Programme (NAP) on Saturday approved the launch of a new military operation, named Operation Azm-e-Istekam, to eradicate terrorism and extremism.
According to the sources, the new operation will have two prongs – one addressing the internal security situation and the other focusing on external threats emanating from Afghanistan.
Under the new counterterrorism strategy, physical and intelligence operations against terrorist organisations will be stepped up, while new diplomatic efforts will be launched to neutralise threats from neighbouring countries.
Since the Taliban returned to Kabul in August 2021, the number of terrorist attacks has only increased, much to Islamabad’s dismay.
Terror attacks increased by 83 percent in the first five months of the year, forcing authorities to launch new operations against extremist groups.
According to sources, the new plan will once again give Pakistan an opportunity to approach the Kabul regime and fulfil its promise of eradicating terrorist havens.
Sources said Pakistan will also seek China’s help in persuading the Afghan Taliban to reassess its strategy regarding the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Also read: Khawaja Asif says PTI is ‘siding with terrorists’ after it opposes Operation Azm-e-Isteekam
China appears to have more influence over the Taliban than Pakistan, which has historical ties to the group, but relations between Pakistan and the Taliban have only worsened since their return to power.
Sources said China is concerned about Pakistan’s security as rising terror attacks have discouraged Chinese investments.
A senior Chinese minister who recently visited Pakistan publicly warned that attacks on Chinese nationals in Pakistan undermine the confidence of Chinese investors.
The minister linked future Chinese investments with improving security and business environment in Pakistan.
The day after his outspoken remarks, the country’s civilian and military leadership approved the launch of a new military operation against the terrorist group.
China’s growing concerns over the security situation were the main factor forcing Pakistan to launch a new anti-terrorism drive.
Pakistan, on the other hand, believes that the increase in terrorist attacks is mainly due to TTP safe houses across the border.
Pakistan on Friday told the UN Security Council that eradicating terrorism in and from Afghanistan remains a top priority for the international community, Afghanistan’s neighbours and Afghanistan itself.
Despite the progress made by the Afghan Interim Government (AIG) in fighting ISKP, several other terrorist organisations, including Al-Qaeda, TTP, ETIM and IMU, continue to operate in Afghanistan, said Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN.
Pakistan called on the AIG to take effective and sustained action against these groups in accordance with several Security Council resolutions.
Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, Ambassador Akram stressed the danger of granting impunity to terrorist groups in Afghanistan. He stressed that as long as these groups are free to operate both inside and outside Afghanistan, goals such as investment, socio-economic development and infrastructure development cannot be achieved.
Ambassador Akram said the most direct and serious threat to Pakistan was Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and detailed the TTP’s terrorist activities which had resulted in hundreds of civilian and military casualties.
He said the TTP has acquired sophisticated weaponry and is intensifying its attacks. Pakistan has repeatedly urged the AIG to take decisive action against the TTP, including stopping cross-border attacks, disarming its militants and handing over the terrorists, but no significant action has been taken, he said.
He said TTP safe havens along the Pakistan border still existed and recent cross-border attacks included one in which several Chinese engineers working on the Das Hydroelectric Project were killed.
Ambassador Akram urged the UN Security Council to ask the AIG to sever its links with the TTP and its associates, prevent cross-border attacks against Pakistan, disarm TTP terrorists and capture TTP leaders and hand them over to Pakistan.
He said Pakistan continues to insist on continued engagement with the Afghan Interim Administration to help normalize the situation in Afghanistan. He said the AIG’s decision to participate in the Doha conference later this month represents an important opportunity for constructive dialogue on all key issues related to Afghanistan.
Ambassador Akram stressed the importance of having clear objectives for both the international community and the AIG. Addressing the key challenges to normalization, as highlighted by the UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan, requires a realistic roadmap outlining mutual steps that the AIG and the international community should take towards Afghanistan’s normalization and integration into the international community, he said.
He reminded the international community of its obligation to assist the 23 million Afghans who are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Unfortunately, the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs Response Plan has received only 16.2 percent of the $3.06 billion needed for the 17.3 million Afghans it targets.
Adequate funding from all possible sources is essential to meet these critical needs, he asserted.
Ambassador Munir Akram also said that finding a path to revitalization and sustainable development of the Afghan economy is equally important, which requires the revival of Afghanistan’s banking system, commercial activity and private investment. He further said that creating the conditions for the release of Afghanistan’s frozen assets and their transfer to the Central Bank is crucial.
Ambassador Akram expressed Pakistan’s commitment to expanding trade and economic ties with Afghanistan, saying planned infrastructure and regional connectivity projects need to be launched. He said Pakistan and AIG had signed a nine-point agreement on trade and transport issues in March to boost economic ties.
Pakistan’s UN ambassador called on the AIG to take steps to fulfill its obligations in line with international law and established norms. The ambassador said the world remains concerned that the restrictions imposed on Afghan women and girls are contrary to international law and Islamic tenets.
Ambassador Akram concluded his statement by saying that Pakistan shares close ties with Afghanistan in terms of people, history, faith, language and culture. Promoting peace, stability and development in Afghanistan is Pakistan’s national mission.
“We will continue to work at all levels – bilateral, regional, international and with the United Nations – to achieve these goals,” he declared.
