Choose peace over war, Taliban tell Pakistan

ISLAMABAD (AA): The Afghan Taliban have asked Pakistan to prefer peace instead of war and assured that Kabul will not allow anyone to use its soil against Islamabad.

During a meeting with Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Asif Durrani on Thursday, acting Afghan Deputy Prime Minister Maulavi Abdul Kabir said that Pakistan is not only their neighbor but also a Muslim brother and Kabul wants lasting peace there.

“We have seen the bitter experiences of wars. We advise Pakistan to prefer peace instead of wars,” Kabir told Durrani, according to state-run Bakhtar News.

Durrani arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to meet with the interim administration’s senior officials to discuss the situation in the region after recent attacks in Pakistan.

“Afghanistan does not interfere in the internal affairs of any country, including Pakistan, and we will not allow anyone to use Afghan soil against Pakistan or any neighboring country,” Kabir said, adding they never wanted insecurity and war in Pakistan because it would also have consequences for Afghanistan.

During his three-day stay in Kabul, Durrani also met with acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and acting ministers for commerce, public health, and higher education.

His visit came just days after 12 Pakistani soldiers and seven militants were killed in two attacks and subsequent operations in the Zhob and Sui areas of Balochistan.

On Monday, Pakistan Army warned the Afghan Taliban against providing safe havens to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and said the TTP militants pose a security risk to the country.

The TTP is a conglomerate of several militant groups.

Last week, Pakistan’s Army chief claimed that TTP militants have freedom of action across the border in Afghanistan and urged Kabul not to allow its soil to be used against any country.

Later, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif also accused Afghanistan of not fulfilling its obligations as a neighbor.