MADRID — Taliban continue to deny the challenges facing Afghanistan while refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations on key issues, Asif Durrani, Pakistan’s former special envoy to Afghanistan, said at the 12th Herat Security Dialogue in Madrid on Monday.
“When you talk to them, they are in a denial mode,” Durrani said. “They think Afghanistan is now a peaceful country. But when we tell them, ‘Okay, then take back the refugees,’ they say no. They admit they have challenges.”
Durrani criticized the Taliban for avoiding negotiations, citing their reluctance to address the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a militant group that has carried out attacks inside Pakistan.
“They don’t want to engage in talks on critical issues,” he said. “TTP is a clear example.”
He also accused the Taliban of misusing Pashtunwali, the traditional Pashtun code of conduct, to justify sheltering militants.
“Murderers cannot seek protection under Pashtunwali,” he said. “If they are doing so, it is creating bad blood between Pakistan and the Taliban regime.”
Despite rising tensions, trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan has continued, Durrani noted.
“Yes, there are ups and downs, but that’s how we have always dealt with each other,” he said.
His remarks come amid growing strains in Pakistan-Taliban relations, particularly over cross-border militancy and the Taliban’s refusal to accept returning Afghan refugees.
