'Disturbing': Pakistan politicians concerned over Taliban's Doha deal statement

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday agreed with PPP leader Farhatullah Babar who had expressed concern over a “disturbing” statement from the Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid over Doha deal.

In an interview with BBC Pashto, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, in response to the defence minister's remarks that Afghanistan is not fulfilling its obligations under the deal, had said that they didn’t sign the peace accord with Islamabad.

But at the same time, he claimed that Afghan soil was not being used for attacks in Pakistan, as the nation was "a Muslim and brother country".

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp spike in terrorism across the country which it believes is perpetrated by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) despite assurances by their benefactors of reining in the militant group.

Last week, Pakistan Army said it was seriously concerned that militants had found safe havens in the neighbouring nation and threatened to take an "effective response" two days after 12 of its soldiers embraced martyrdom in two attacks.

The army has "serious concerns on the safe havens and liberty of action available to TTP in Afghanistan," it said, adding such attacks are intolerable and would elicit an effective response from the security forces of Pakistan.

While responding to Mujahid’s assertion, veteran politician and senior PPP leader Farhatullah Babar termed it “disturbing”.

“Taliban spokesperson says the Taliban signed the Doha agreement with the US, not with Pakistan and Its policy towards Pakistan is different.”

He asked: “Does it mean the Doha agreement binds the Taliban to rein in only some militants, not all?”

Agreeing with Babar’s interpretation, Asif said irrespective of Afghanistan’s stance, Pakistan stands resolute in uprooting terrorism from its soil, whatever the source.

“This is regardless of whether or not Kabul has the will to reign in militants from within its borders.”

TTP has also become active in Balochistan after multiple attacks in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan, where the Pakistan Army had uprooted the militant safe havens after successful operations.

The militant group has stepped up attacks since revoking a ceasefire agreement with the government in late 2022, including the bombing of a mosque in Peshawar that killed more than 100 people earlier this year.