Islamabad needs to engage with Kandahar-based Taliban leadership on TTP issue

Islamabad – Pakistan should engage with the Afghan Taliban leadership based in Kandahar, the actual seat of power in Afghanistan, as this channel of communication can help Islamabad address its concerns about the presence of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) hideouts in the neighboring country.

Islamabad needs to directly talk to Taliban supreme leader Haibatullah Akhundzada to resolve its issues of cross-border terrorism and trade besides others as he holds influence over all ranks of the interim government in Kabul.

Experts belonging to security affairs, media and regional studies expressed these views at a dialogue on ‘The Militant Landscape in Pakistan 2024-25’, organized by Islamabad-based think tank Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS).

The expert consultation was part of a PIPS perception study that seeks to explore and analyse the evolving militant landscape in the country.

International Research Council for Religious Affairs (IRCRA) President Israr Madani said all major decisions, including the ban on women’s education, by the Afghan regime were taken by the Kandahar leadership. “Islamabad must talk to the Afghan Taliban leadership sitting in Kandahar,” he said, adding that Pakistan should facilitate them if they need some health and visa facilities. “Ultimately, this channel would help Pakistan resolve all its issues with the neighbouring country,” he said.

Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) Managing Director Abdullah Khan said the proscribed TTP and other militant groups had changed their operational strategies by reducing attacks on civilians only to rebuild their public perception. “There is a shift in the TTP’s operation strategy by increasing attacks on security forces,” he added.

Tahir Khan, journalist and an expert on Afghan affairs, questioned if Russia, China and Central Asian states could have a strategy to engage with the Afghan Taliban, then why was Pakistan pursuing an opposite policy of disengagement. There are strong indications that TTP can change its strategy by restarting attacks on civilians, he warned.

Aarish U. Khan, research analyst at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), said the state’s counterterrorism policy was not holistic. There is a need to involve local communities besides focusing on kinetic operations, he added. “We need to have a long-term counterterrorism strategy, which should have a component of winning hearts and minds of people,” he said. He further argued that there was no harm in restarting the dialogue process with the TTP.

Journalist Azaz Syed said final decision-making should be with the parliament and civilian-led to resolve the conflict in Pakistan. He recalled that a civilian government had decided to initiate the Swat Operation to curb militancy, which restored long-lasting peace in the area.

Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) Executive Director Imtiaz Gul underlined that Pakistan had an ad hoc policy to deal with terrorism and militancy. “We are not extinguishing the fire but doing spot-fixing,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s Afghan policy should be led by civilians.

Anwar Bangash, political and information assistant at the Embassy of Poland, highlighted the negative role of social media that is intensifying conflict in the Kurram tribal district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said all warring groups in the region had been found involved in disseminating fake videos and doctored photos about the conflict – a situation that is very alarming.

Journalist and anchorperson Kamran Yousaf said Baloch insurgents were only targeting Chinese citizens and no other foreigners because they had a misperception that Chinese investment could undermine their due share in Balochistan’s resources. “With China, Pakistan needs to work to evolve such projects where people feel that they have real stakes,” he noted.

PIPS President Muhammad Amir Rana in his concluding remarks opposed the idea of restarting talks with the outlawed TTP, saying that dialogue gave political and moral legitimacy to militancy and provided fuel to it. “TTP is an existential threat for Pakistan and there should be zero tolerance for the group,” he added.