Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT News
KABUL – Amid Pakistan leaders’ accusations blaming the Taliban government for a wave of insecurity and terror attacks, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has accused Islamabad government of capitalizing on nationalistic sentiments to deflect responsibility for the security situation onto the Afghan Taliban, thus justifying their policy shortcomings.
TTP’s remarks come in the wake of an attack on a gathering convened by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam in Peshawar, which left more than hundred casualties. Following the incident and a few other attacks, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari warned that Pakistan would resort to self-defense and execute military operations on Afghan soil to neutralize terror threats if the Taliban government doesn’t act soon enough to quell terrorist factions there.
The blame game was soon rebuked by the Taliban. Zabihullah Mujahid, spokesperson for the Afghan Taliban, was quick to denounce Pakistani officials’ threats, urging Islamabad to redress its internal quandaries and refrain from shifting the blame. Instead, Mujahid stated, Pakistan must grapple with its own internal challenges, preempt security concerns, and try to safeguard its own stability.
This is as Pakistan contends with an ongoing political and economic crisis. Rampant corruption and political discord among Pakistani officials have precipitated its political and economic woes. Consequently, many Pakistanis perceive military avenues as the sole means to bring about foundational changes. Pakistan’s governance has slipped from the control of both the military and politicians for over three years, with a significant portion of Pakistan’s border regions under the dominion of opposing armed groups. These entities possess the capacity to launch suicide attacks and explosions against Pakistani security forces at their discretion.
