The government of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province is awaiting approval from the federal government to initiate negotiations with the Taliban in Afghanistan, following a recent surge in militant attacks.
Ali Amin Gandapur, the province’s chief minister, announced that a delegation has been formed at the provincial level to engage in talks with the Taliban but is waiting for Islamabad to finalize the terms and conditions for negotiations. In a statement, the provincial government also called for immediate dialogue with the Taliban following a suicide bombing at Darul Uloom Haqqania in Akora Khattak that killed Maulana Hamidul Haq Haqqani, a prominent pro-Taliban cleric.
Pakistan has faced increasing instability in recent weeks, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which has witnessed two suicide bombings in the past four days. Amid the growing security crisis, the provincial government is pushing for urgent discussions with the Taliban, focusing primarily on security concerns and the presence of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants in Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban of sheltering TTP fighters, a claim the Taliban deny.
Gandapur recently met with the Taliban’s consul in Peshawar and emphasized that deteriorating security is a challenge for both Pakistan and the Taliban. “A jirga has been formed at the provincial level to negotiate with the Afghan government, and we are waiting for federal approval,” he said. “Once the terms are finalized, the jirga will travel to Afghanistan for discussions.”
The negotiations are expected to take place in two phases: the first will focus on security and TTP’s presence in Afghanistan, which Pakistan sees as a major factor behind its rising violence. The second phase will address trade and Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.
So far, the federal government has not granted permission for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to engage in talks with the Taliban. Provincial officials have accused Islamabad of politicizing the issue of terrorism rather than taking decisive action.
While Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has remained silent on the possibility of negotiations, it has acknowledged that TTP sanctuaries in Afghanistan are straining relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The ministry has also expressed concerns over the use of advanced American weapons—left behind after the U.S. withdrawal—by militant groups operating in Pakistan.
The Taliban have not officially responded to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s request for talks. However, they continue to deny harboring TTP fighters, despite a United Nations Security Council report stating that Afghanistan under Taliban rule has become a safe haven for the group.
