Peshawar/Islamabad:

The Afghan interim government is attempting to improve ties with Pakistan regarding the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as close aides of the supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban prepare for crucial discussions with officials in Islamabad on Wednesday. .

A Taliban delegation led by Kandahar Governor Mullah Sherin Akhund will visit Pakistan on January 3 (tomorrow) in a fresh effort to defuse the rising tensions between the two neighboring countries.

The delegation will include members of Afghan intelligence, the General Directorate of Information (GDI), as well as representatives from their defense and information ministries. This meeting is the first high-level contact between the two countries in the last few months.

Kabul’s failure to curb the TTP and its affiliates has led to Pakistan essentially blocking high-level communications with the Afghan Taliban government.

In recent months, Pakistan has vocally criticized the TTP’s use of Afghan soil to launch cross-border terrorist attacks. Islamabad has now publicly accused the Kabul regime of harboring Pakistan’s enemies.

Despite repeated calls to neutralize the TTP threat, cross-border terrorist attacks continue. On the last day of the year 2023, Pakistan foiled the terrorist infiltration attempt and responded by firing from across the border.

Mullah Akhund is scheduled to meet senior Pakistani officials, including Pakistan’s Special Representative on Afghanistan Ambassador Asif Durrani. According to sources, the main focus of the discussion will be on addressing the banned TTP.

The two sides will also discuss the possibility of border fencing, visa-free transit at the Chaman border, handing over TTP members, or transferring them away from the border areas, and most importantly, reviving talks between Pakistan and the TTP.

The talks will initially begin at the level of committees and will later proceed to the ministry level. After these discussions, a second round of discussions is likely to be held in Kabul next week.

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The delegation will also convey Taliban chief Mullah Habitullah Akhundzada’s message to Islamabad on a range of issues and set an agenda for JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s visit to Afghanistan.

A senior Pakistani official informed on Monday that Pakistan has taken a firm stance and has expressed no intention of associating with the terrorist group. “Our demand is clear. The Afghan Taliban must prevent the TTP from launching attacks against Pakistan,” the official stressed.

It is believed that the senior aide to the supreme leader of the Afghan Taliban aims to convince Pakistan about the seriousness of the Kabul regime in dealing with the problem.

The Afghan Taliban government is hesitant to take action against the TTP, citing various reasons.

Instead, Kabul has been urging Pakistan to negotiate with the terrorist organization.

The officials here are not very optimistic about the visit of Mullah Akhund. “Let us wait for the results of the talks. It is too early to speculate whether the visit will yield any success,” the official commented.

Observers believe that the Taliban government is under pressure to meet Pakistan’s expectations given the country’s importance for international recognition. Amid deteriorating relations, Pakistan has recently shifted its policy away from advocating for the Taliban government in international forums.

Last month, Pakistan had informed the UN Security Council that any engagement with the Taliban government should be contingent on action being taken against terrorist organisations, including the TTP.

Mullah Sherin Akhund served as the Governor of Kabul from August 24, 2021, to November 7, 2021. He was also a member of the Taliban negotiating team in the Islamic Emirate Qatar office.

He also served in charge of the security staff of Mullah Omar, the founder of the Taliban movement, during the 1996–2001 rule of Afghanistan. He was one of Mullah Omar’s close associates and also served as the commander of Taliban military intelligence.