DOHA/ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday conveyed to the Afghan Taliban that it would exercise restraint if terrorist attacks by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)—also referred to as Fitna al-Khawarij—came to a halt, official sources said.
The message was delivered during the first round of Pakistan-Afghan Taliban talks in Doha, which concluded with both sides agreeing to resume discussions on Sunday.
The Qatar-mediated dialogue focused on a single-point agenda: preventing cross-border terrorism from Afghan soil and restoring peace along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif led the delegation, while the Afghan side was represented by Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob.
Diplomatic sources said Pakistan adopted a firm position, warning that continued attacks from Afghan territory would not be tolerated.
However, Islamabad assured that credible action by Kabul against militant outfits—particularly the TTP and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA)—would be met with reciprocal restraint.
The Foreign Office reaffirmed that Pakistan sought “peace, not confrontation,” urging the Taliban leadership to honour its international commitments and address Pakistan’s security concerns.
Both sides had earlier agreed to a temporary 48-hour ceasefire to facilitate the Doha talks.
