The Taliban have dismissed the security concerns raised by Asif Durrani, Pakistan's Special Representative for Afghanistan, asserting that the real threat to regional and global security might originate from Pakistani territory.
Asif Durrani, in a recent interview with Express Tribune, expressed his concerns about the growing activities of ISIS in Afghanistan. He warned that ignoring Afghanistan's current situation could return the country to the conditions of the previous Taliban regime, potentially leading to incidents similar to the September 11 attacks. In response, the Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement rejecting Durrani's claims, stating that his comments are "far from the realities on the ground and an attempt to create public anxiety about Afghanistan."
The statement added, "The issues he attributes to Afghanistan as problems and threats are, in reality, more likely to emanate from Pakistani soil." The Taliban emphasized that they have successfully suppressed ISIS within Afghanistan but noted that the group has sanctuaries across the Durand Line. "If ISIS's sanctuaries on the other side of the Durand Line are eradicated, the threat posed by this group will be entirely eliminated."
The statement further clarified that the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is an internal issue for Pakistan and requires a domestic solution. "The Afghan government has previously demonstrated its goodwill, and now effective Pakistani institutions must take rational and practical steps to resolve this problem." The Taliban's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also advised Durrani to understand that it is the duty of diplomats to prevent provocative media statements from harming relations between countries.
