Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Calls for Afghan Cooperation to Fight Terrorism
Amid ongoing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad, officials in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have emphasized the need for coordination with Afghanistan to effectively combat terrorism.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa adviser for Information stated that lasting security in the region can only be achieved through bilateral cooperation and dialogue.
Dr. Saif, Information Adviser of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, said: “Coordination with Afghanistan is essential to effectively curb terrorism in the region, and under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, the provincial government is taking serious steps to maintain law and order.”
Najeeb ur Rehman Shamal, a political analyst, commented: “If the Pakistani government fulfills its commitments toward Afghanistan, especially in fighting terrorist groups in the region, and if greater coordination is established between Afghan and Pakistani military and intelligence forces, then dismantling terrorist networks will naturally lead to improved bilateral relations.”
Pakistan is among the countries that have maintained active political and security engagement with the Afghan interim government since the collapse of the republic in August 2021.
However, tensions between the two countries have escalated over the past three years, especially following a rise in deadly attacks in Pakistan. Islamabad has blamed some of these on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alleging that the group conducts operations from Afghan territory.
Abdul Sadiq Hamidzoi, a political analyst, said: “Mutual agreements only arise from existing engagement. Interaction and diplomacy, not only with Pakistan but with all neighboring countries, are in the best interest of the Afghan people. Problems must be resolved through dialogue and negotiation in order to achieve meaningful goals.”
This comes as Pakistan’s Foreign and Interior Ministers visited Kabul over the past month for discussions with senior officials of the Islamic Emirate on political, security, economic, and regional cooperation.
