Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Interim Afghan Foreign Minister, asserted that the majority of the issues between Pakistan and the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had been resolved, and both parties were on the verge of reaching an agreement.
However, Muttaqi claimed that Islamabad withdrew its support during a conversation with Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed in Tehran on the sidelines of the conference on Palestine hosted by Iran.
Mushahid, who attended the conference representing Pakistan, clarified that he was not representing the government during his informal discussion with Foreign Minister Muttaqi.
The focus of their conversation was the current state of the relationship between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regarding the TTP issue.
Muttaqi informed Mushahid that Afghanistan was eager to resolve all issues with Islamabad through dialogue. He mentioned that after a series of meetings between Pakistani officials and TTP leadership, most issues were resolved, and a deal brokered by the Afghan Taliban was close.
The only remaining point of contention was the merger of the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), with the TTP seeking a reversal of the Fata merger. Muttaqi alleged that Pakistan backed out of the talks, resulting in a stalemate.
Pakistani officials, however, accused the TTP of using the talks to regroup and set clear conditions for any deal, including accepting the state’s authority, adhering to the Constitution and laws, and complete disarmament. The FATA merger was deemed a redline by Pakistan.
Mushahid highlighted some notable points from the interaction with Muttaqi. Firstly, Muttaqi emphasized that Afghanistan reacts negatively to pressure and rejects intimidation or threats.
Secondly, Mushahid expressed concern about the absence of high-level communication channels between the top leadership in Islamabad and Kabul, leading to issues being mired in recriminations and blame games.
In a tweet, Mushahid described his dinner meeting with Muttaqi as positive, with the Afghan Foreign Minister expressing warmth toward Pakistan and a desire to settle contentious issues through dialogue.
However, Muttaqi made it clear that Afghans don’t appreciate pressure or threats and emphasized their pride, citing historical instances with the USSR and USA.
