Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan said on Tuesday that his government is prepared to cooperate with the Taliban, provided they take effective action against the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups operating from Afghanistan’s territory.
“Peace and stability are the foundation of sustainable development,” Sharif said during the opening ceremony of a two-day summit of parliamentary leaders from Muslim-majority countries, hosted in Islamabad. “We believe development is only possible in a society where peace and security prevail.”
Sharif warned that ongoing support for the banned TTP — which has carried out numerous deadly attacks inside Pakistan — would not lead to peace and called on the Taliban to act responsibly. “Afghanistan must understand that supporting the TTP will not bring peace,” he said. “Pakistan is ready to cooperate if the Afghan government takes effective action against the TTP and other such groups.”
This is one of the clearest signals yet from Pakistan that cooperation with the Taliban is conditional on tangible steps against armed groups accused of carrying out cross-border attacks.
The Pakistani leader also referenced recent border tensions, noting that “unprovoked aggression” occurred along the country’s eastern frontier in May, and that Pakistani outposts were attacked from across the border last month. “Pakistan responded firmly and decisively,” Sharif said. “These continued conflicts around the world underscore the need for peace.”
The Taliban, who have repeatedly denied sheltering anti-Pakistan militants, have yet to respond publicly to Sharif’s remarks. However, the Pakistani government has long maintained that fighters from the TTP, an ideological offshoot of the Taliban, continue to find refuge in Afghanistan following the fall of Kabul in 2021.
The Inter-Parliamentary Dialogue on Peace, Development and Connectivity includes delegations from several countries including Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kenya, Palestine, Morocco, Rwanda, Liberia, Barbados, and Nepal. Organizers say the forum aims to strengthen global peace and enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation.
Sharif’s comments reflect growing frustration in Islamabad as security concerns mount over a resurgent TTP, which Pakistan blames for hundreds of attacks on civilians and security forces in recent years.
