Afghan Taliban want Pakistan to bear cost of disarming TTP

 ISLAMABAD: The Afghan Taliban have expressed their willingness to disarm the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group and relocate its members from the countries’ border but with a condition that Islamabad will bear the cost of the proposed plan.

This was revealed at the meeting of the Central Apex Committee which met on Friday to discuss the recent surge in terrorist attacks in the country and other security matters, The Express Tribune reported.

The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by Chief Ministers, senior cabinet ministers, the army chief, DG ISI and other relevant officials.

Sources familiar with the meeting told The Express Tribune that the issue of banned TTP and its sanctuaries across the border was one of the main issues on the agenda.

A high-powered delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif visited Kabul this week to share “irrefutable evidence” with the Afghan Taliban about the presence of TTP in the neighbouring country. The sources said the apex committee was informed that the Afghan interim government proposed a plan to control the banned outfit. The proposal envisages disarming the TTP fighters and their relocation from the countries’ border areas.

However, the Afghan government asked Pakistan to fund the proposal and bear the cost of rehabilitation of the TTP, The Express Tribune reported.

The meeting was informed that the Afghan Taliban made a similar proposal to China to address its concerns on the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM).

However, Pakistan has yet to respond to the Afghan Taliban’s idea as there is scepticism that it might not work.

Nevertheless, it was for the first time that the Afghan Taliban came up with the idea to disarm the TTP. Earlier, the interim Afghan government encouraged Pakistan to negotiate a peace deal with the TTP, something that backfired. (IANS)

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