Islamabad Sets Three Conditions for Agreement with Taliban Administration
Pakistani media have reported that officials from the country put forward three specific conditions during the Urumqi talks for any agreement with the Taliban administration. The main focus of these conditions is a practical approach toward the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the group’s activities on Afghan soil.
According to these reports, Islamabad has demanded that the Taliban administration officially recognize the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan as a terrorist organization and make an official declaration to that effect. Furthermore, the administration has been asked to eliminate the safe havens and areas of presence of this group within Afghanistan.
The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan has been active for years in the border regions between the two countries, complicating the already tense relations between Kabul and Islamabad. Despite previous commitments by the Taliban administration to prevent the use of Afghan territory against other countries, Pakistani officials have repeatedly claimed that members of this group remain present inside Afghanistan.
The presentation of these conditions at the Urumqi talks indicates that security concerns and the activities of armed groups opposing Pakistan remain a fundamental point of tension in the bilateral relationship; an issue expected to continue dominating future discussions.
