Pakistan Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir has identified the presence of the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in Afghanistan and cross-border terrorist activities as the main points of contention between Pakistan and its western neighbour.
The remarks attributed to the army chief were carried by state broadcaster PTV News and were uttered during his Peshawar meeting, Dawn reported.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have long been strained due to recurring border conflicts and Pakistan’s demand for decisive action against TTP militants allegedly using Afghan territory to orchestrate attacks. Kabul, however, denies these claims.
Last month, tensions escalated when clashes erupted after Pakistan bombed suspected TTP hideouts in Afghanistan’s Paktika province. The conflict led to casualties on both sides, with eight fatalities and 13 injuries reported on the Afghan side, and one Frontier Corps soldier killed along with 11 others injured in Pakistan.
During his discussions, COAS Munir emphasised the significance of maintaining a positive relationship with Afghanistan, describing it as a “brotherly neighbour [and] an Islamic country.” However, he stated, “The only difference with Afghanistan is the presence of Fitna al-Khawarij in Afghanistan and the spread of terrorism in Pakistan from across the border, and it will remain so until they remove this issue.” The government had earlier designated the TTP as Fitna al-Khawarij, a term referring to outcasts, to underline the severity of their threat to national security, according to Dawn.
