TALIBAN REBUFFS PAK PRESSURE, POINTS TO GHQ'S TIES WITH ISIS

The unannounced visit by a high-level Pakistani delegation to Kabul on Wednesday has brought out the precarious situation the country is in with respect to its ability to fight armed groups and its deteriorating ties with the Taliban which, like India, is experiencing violent attacks from GHQ-Rawalpindi-backed non-state actors such as the Islamic State (ISIS) or the Daesh.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The delegation, which comprised Pak Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Lieutenant General Nadeem Anjum, Foreign Secretary Asad Majid and Special Envoy on Afghanistan Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, asked the Taliban government to do whatever it could to stop the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from attacking Pakistani forces.

People aware of the matter revealed to The Sunday Guardian that the delegation told the Taliban that if they did not use their influence over TTP to stop the attacks on the Pakistan army, then Pakistan, among other steps, would stop the entry of Afghan citizens into Pak territory and use its diplomatic "power" to attack the Afghanistan government at international forums. Afghans go to Pakistan mostly for medical treatment. However, this "soft-threat" is unlikely to make any real impact on the ground, sources who are a part of this entire development, told The Sunday Guardian on Thursday.

According to these sources, much of the TTP's fighting forces were already entrenched in Pakistan and whatever part of it was operating from within Afghanistan, would leave the country within five months, as per their pre-decided plan of operation.

These sources stated that the TTP would continue to carry out armed operations against the Pakistan army, irrespective of the talks that have happened between the Taliban government and the Pakistan delegation.