In a recent column, noted Pakistani commentator Saleem Safi called for both secret and open negotiations with the Afghan Taliban and Islamic militants of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to stop the constant terror attacks in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan and the deteriorating security situation on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
In the column, titled "The Flames On The Western Border [With Afghanistan]," which was published by Geo TV Urdu, a major television channel and website, Saleem Safi noted that "The problem of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] remains as it is; they are building their organization again so much so that they have established units in Karachi. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, [the TTP] are target-killing police officials on a daily basis."
Calling for talks, he said: "It does not necessarily follow that the results of talks in the future will not be good because the results of the previous negotiations turned out to be bad. There is a need for the formation of a committee of people who understand all aspects of the problem. Through them, secret and declared negotiations can be executed. Those people who are respected by the Afghan Taliban should also be made part of it and TTP fighters should be given a path to live respectfully."
The immediate context for his column is the attack by Hafiz Gul Bahadur group of Pakistani Taliban in Mir Ali area of North Waziristan in which two Pakistani army officers and five soldiers were killed on March 16-17, 2024. After this, the Pakistani air force executed airstrikes in Afghanistan allegedly on the hideouts of terrorists, further deteriorating bilateral relations between the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Following are excerpts from the column, as translated from Urdu:[1]
"The Gist Of The Matter Is That Situations Are Deteriorating On The Western Border [With Afghanistan] And Every Other Day Terror Incidents Occur"
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"Terrorism and extremism, which are the biggest obstacles in the path of investment, are unfortunately not on the priorities of the political parties here [in Pakistan]. They have handed it over to the military. The problem of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan [TTP] remains as it is; they are once again building up their organization so much so that they have established units in Karachi.
"In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, [the TTP] are target-killing police officials on a daily basis, but thank God, there has not been a big terror attack. Therefore, we have forgotten this issue. Not sure what is the government's policy regarding them? Is a political solution being sought together with the Afghan Taliban, or has any strategy been adopted? Nobody knows anything.
"On the other side, there are Baluchi militants whose main target is foreign investors. The government has announced general amnesty for them in the event of surrendering weapons, but a comprehensive political strategy is missing. In such situations, even if a foreign investor wants to come to Pakistan, how will he come, and until the investment comes, the economy cannot be bettered.
"The gist of the matter is that situations are deteriorating on the western border [with Afghanistan] and every other day terror incidents occur. Since there has been no big [terror] attack, we have therefore forgotten about it. Unfortunately, a big attack took place recently and the TTP martyred two [Pakistan army] officers and several soldiers in a fighting lasting several hours after an attack on a checkpoint in Mir Ali [town of North Waziristan on March 16-17, 2024].
"To avenge this, the next day [March 18] Pakistani forces crossed the Afghan border and reportedly killed those responsible for the attack in Mir Ali. However, the TTP's claim is that none of their leaders were killed and the immigrants who had come from Pakistan were the target [of the Pakistani airstrikes in Paktika and Khost provinces of Afghanistan]. The Afghan Foreign Affairs Ministry, in reaction to the martyrdom of women and children in the Pakistani military's attacks in Afghan provinces of Paktika and Khost, summoned the charge d'affairs of the Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and delivered a letter of protest."
"Practically A Province Of This Country [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Of Pakistan] Is In A State Of War, But The Rest Of The Country Neither Is Aware Of It Nor Those Who Are Running This Province"
"In addition to condemning the [Pakistani] attacks, the Islamic Emirate's Foreign Affairs Ministry also warned Pakistan that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan not only has long experience fighting for freedom against the world's superpowers, but also cannot accept any kind of aggression against its soil.
"On the other hand, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry alleged in a statement that despite the constant protest by Pakistan, Afghan soil is being used against Pakistan and some elements in the Islamic Emirate are using the TTP as a proxy. Although, the ministry said, Pakistan considers the Afghan people dear to it and respects the sovereignty of Afghanistan, in this regard it has been constantly pressuring the Islamic Emirate to stop the use of Afghan soil against Pakistan.
"If you look at this situation, then not only is the TTP in a state of war but now the Islamic Emirate is also going in the direction of the state of war. According to some information, the Islamic Emirate is transferring heavy weapons [to positions] near the Pakistani border. On the other hand, I had written in a previous column, not a day passes when the TTP does not target-kill a police officer or a soldier. In other words, practically a province of this country [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of Pakistan] is in a state of war, but neither those who are running this province nor the rest of the country are aware of it. Here, the internal politics and noisy quarrel has taken over.
"The state is engaged in some firefight only and no path is being searched for a lasting solution to this problem. When an attack takes place here, a war of words is launched between the [ruling] Muslim League (N) and PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, the opposition].
"The question is: What to do? In my imperfect opinion, the issue should be prioritized at the first opportunity. It should be considered the mother of problems, not a problem among problems. I was not in favor of the use of force nor am I now, but the way talks took place [with the TTP during the Imran Khan government] I was not even in favor of these talks. However, I consider a solution of the problem in a comprehensive negotiation.
"There are many forms and types of negotiations. It is seen who is holding talks with whom. It does not necessarily follow that the results of talks in the future will not be good because the results of the previous negotiations turned out to be bad. There is a need for the formation of a committee of people who understand all aspects of the problem. Through them, secret and declared negotiations can be executed. Those people who are respected by the Afghan Taliban should also be made part of it and TTP fighters should be given a path to live respectfully.
"There is a contradiction among us that everyone praises [the policy] when it is mentioned that Baluchi rebels can adopt a life of peace if they surrender weapons. However, when one talks about an understanding with the Islamic militants, then a hue and cry is raised from all directions."
[1] Geo TV Urdu (Pakistan), March 21, 2024.
