Taliban spokesperson Abdul Qahar Balkhi urged Pakistan to discuss the issue of countering terrorism in the region bilaterally instead of “complaining at international conferences.”
The snub came in response to Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s comments at the Munich Security Conference (MSC) in Germany, where he warned of international repercussions of growing terrorism in Afghanistan.
Moreover, we advise Pakistan to discuss bilateral issues face-to-face with the Afghan government instead of complaining at international conferences.
— Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) February 19, 2023
Taliban Reaffirms Commitment to Countering Terrorism
Balkhi said Bhutto Zardari’s claims that terror groups in Afghanistan threaten the region and the West were “untrue.” He reassured that the Taliban had proven that it would use its “professional and experienced” forces to ensure that its territory is not used to orchestrate attacks on other countries.
He further stated that Afghanistan’s security situation has improved, and is better than those of “many countries in the world.”
Responding to Bhutto Zardari’s statement highlighting the recent uptick in terror attacks in Pakistan, Balkhi underscored that the security threat in the country was not new and has existed for over two decades.
Pakistan's recent insecurity is not new but something that has pre-existed for the past two decades. IEA remains determined not to allow anyone to use Afghanistan's soil against other countries, particularly against its neighbors.
— Abdul Qahar Balkhi (@QaharBalkhi) February 19, 2023
Nevertheless, he supported the Pakistani FM’s calls for peace in Afghanistan.
Zardari’s Comments
Balkhi’s comments came in response to FM Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s Saturday MSC speech, wherein he highlighted the need for the Taliban to show the “will and capacity” to curb the growth of militant groups on Afghan soil. He warned that failing to do so could result in terrorism spreading beyond Pakistan, which has already seen a rise in terrorism since the Taliban’s takeover in August 2021.
He said that the “security and terrorist threat” remains the most critical issue, given that there was an entire “alphabet soup” of terror groups in Afghanistan, referring to ISIS and Al Qaeda.
Pakistani Foriegn Minister Bilawal Bhutto is right about the growing threat of ISKP in Afghanistan. ISKP is feeding on the religious & ethnic grievances in the country. The more Taliban kills, the easier it becomes for ISKP to recruit among the disenfranchised communities, https://t.co/2bitGtcv26
— BILAL SARWARY (@bsarwary) February 19, 2023
To this end, he called on the international community to be “pro-active” instead of reacting to the security threat in the future.
Nevertheless, Bhutto Zardari reassured that Pakistan would continue to support Afghanistan by housing refugees and providing other aid.
Massive attack underway since last more than three hours at Karachi Police Chief’s Office. Major gun flight underway between terrorists and Pakistani security forces. Pakistani home grown terrorists attack in the heart of Pakistan. Ongoing attack, situation remains grim. pic.twitter.com/E4GhH12pEF
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) February 17, 2023
Security Threats
Rising attacks in Pakistan remain a significant issue of concern for Islamabad. Just this Friday, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacked the Karachi Police Office. Security officers conducted a four-hour-long operation to clear the building.
Last month, TTP also orchestrated an attack on the Peshawar mosque, killing over 90 people.