TTP in Afghanistan a constant threat, NA panel told

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Secretary Syrus Sajjad Qazi has said the presence of the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan is a constant threat to Pakistan.

During a meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs chaired by Hina Rabbani Khar, Qazi said many terrorist organizations including ISIS, East Turkestan Movement and TTP were operating from Afghanistan. The attack on Chinese citizens in Dasu was also planned in Afghanistan. “After the arrival of Afghan Taliban, anti-Pakistan activities have increased,” he said, adding that proof had been provided to Pakistan regarding the banned TTP and Pakistan was constantly highlighting its concerns with Afghanistan in this regard. Also, 664,000 illegal Afghan citizens have returned to Afghanistan by July 22, 2024. Truck drivers travel on both sides of the border on specific documents. The policy for truck drivers is being abolished, henceforth truck drivers will not cross the border without passport. Afghanistan’s foreign minister has received an invitation to visit Pakistan, but no decision has been taken so far.

Qazi said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the most important institution of any state as one would find states in the world without army but not without the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He said: “The annual budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is Rs49 billion, we have two heads - 48 per cent for headquarters and 49 per cent for foreign missions. Including foreign visits, our foreign missions will run at $12.1 million this year. We are competing with a country 10 times bigger than us, the Indian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has a budget 14 times more than ours, the budget of Bangladesh and Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is more or less equal. Bangladesh has 80 foreign missions and we have 120 foreign missions.”

The foreign secretary said the work of the Foreign Office was to demonstrate Pakistan’s independence, promote relations with foreign countries on an equal footing. “We try to keep our doors open and promote people-to-people relations.” He said 5.5 million dollars used to come to Pakistan annually in the form of visa fees, the Foreign Office used to get 20 per cent of it, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs used to get 1.1 million dollars in Pakistani rupees. Now this visa fee has been abolished. The Foreign Office has some very good properties abroad.

Talking about India-Pakistan relations, the secretary said that after the Pulwama attack, the Srinagar bus service was suspended and 200% duty was imposed on the import of Pakistani goods. “Diplomatic missions in New Delhi and Islamabad were reduced by 50%. Former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari visited India last year, but there was no discussion on bilateral relations during the visit. After 2021, the tension on the Line of Control decreased after consultations between the two countries. Pakistan has allowed India to export 40,000 metric tons of wheat to Afghanistan, these exports go to Afghanistan through Pakistan.”

Qazi said that in the past few years, there had been an increase in Indian statements on Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir. “There is also a ban on issuing visas to Pakistani citizens,” he said.