The caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, has once again expressed concerns regarding the activities of insurgent groups in Afghanistan, stating that this threat is now affecting Pakistan and poses a danger to the entire region.
Addressing the Council on Foreign Relations, Kakar emphasized the resurgence of “terrorist entities” such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Daesh as a major concern for both Pakistan and the international community.
“We welcome direct U.S. engagement with the Afghan government, and we will continue to urge them to fulfill their commitments to women’s rights, girls’ education, and ensuring that Afghan soil is not used as a base for terrorist attacks against other nations,” he stated.
Military analyst Samar Sadaat suggested that Pakistan played a role in the creation of TTP, saying, “Pakistan’s intelligence agencies have been involved in training TTP, along with the current ruling group in Afghanistan. They (TTP and the Taliban) are working together to destabilize the region and have strategic plans in place.”
Kakar pointed out the limited capacity of the Taliban in managing these terrorist entities, describing the situation as “a complex web of influences from various entities masquerading as a de facto government in Afghanistan.” He emphasized that this is not a traditional central state but rather a situation with multiple power centers across the country.
Furthermore, Kakar highlighted the coordination and cooperation between Pakistan and the Taliban in combatting Daesh. “At times, we observe coordination and cooperation, as well as shared interests, particularly in dealing with ISIS-K,” Kakar added.
The caretaker PM argued that addressing these terrorist groups is also in the interest of the de facto Afghan government. “It is in the interest of the Afghan de facto government to address violent entities that challenge their authority or attempt to forcefully take control of territory,” Kakar stated. “However, any group claiming the ability to use violence within a given territory, when challenged, does not reflect positively on their part.”
Taliban has consistently downplayed the Daesh threat in Afghanistan and have pledged not to allow any terrorist group to use Afghan territory for attacks against other nations. However, the international community, including the UN Security Council, has reported the emergence of more than 20 terrorist entities, including Daesh and al-Qaeda, in Afghanistan.
