Taliban Releases Women's Rights Activist Neda Parwani After Four-Month Detention

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the spokesperson of Pakistan's Foreign Ministry, said that the Taliban should handover the perpetrators of the attack along with the leadership of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to Islamabad.

In a press conference on Thursday, Baloch stated, "We have noted the Taliban interim government statement that it will investigate the terrorist attack of December 12."

Amidst escalating security concerns in Pakistan, the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa experienced another suicide attack on Tuesday, December 12. The Pakistani army has confirmed that 23 soldiers lost their lives in the incident.

Tehreek-e-Jihad of Pakistan has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Following the deadly attack, Pakistan's foreign ministry issued a statement calling for “immediate and verifiable action" by the Taliban against militant groups.

In response to Pakistan's request, the Taliban promised to investigate the terrorist attack, but also asked Islamabad to refrain from blaming Kabul for any problems.

In response to the deadly attack in Dera Ismail Khan, the Taliban’s spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said that the attack has nothing to do with Afghanistan.

Mujahid stated that they will consider Pakistan's demands, but at the same time, he asked Pakistan to strengthen its security instead of pointing fingers at Afghanistan.

In the press conference, Mumtaz also welcomed the UN Security Council’s message of sympathy and condolences regarding the attack.

According to her, UNSC members have emphasised the necessity to hold responsible the assailants, sponsors, and facilitators of the attack.

Nasir Ahmad Andisha, Former Afghanistan's ambassador in Geneva, said that two members of the British Parliament and a representative from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs were also in attendance at the meeting.

He told Afghanistan International that the primary focus of these discussions was the establishment of a democratic system in Afghanistan.

According to Andisha, in this meeting, the necessity of the participation of civil society institutions and political groups under one umbrella was emphasized.

He emphasized that the world has now taken note of the activities of Afghan political and civil groups outside Afghanistan. He added that the British Parliament, particularly members of the Labour Party, is paying attention towards in the civic and political endeavors of the Afghan diaspora.

Murtaza Solangi, Pakistan's Minister of Information, said that the decision was taken to encourage immigrants to obtain legal documents or finalise their "evacuation process".

Earlier, the Pakistani government had set November 1 as the deadline for deporting immigrants without official residency documents.

Solangi said that Afghan immigrants must pay a fine of $100 per month after the deadline.

He stated that the government wants the Afghan immigrants to evacuate to another country as soon as possible or to get legal documents to stay in Pakistan.

He stated that Iran cannot continue providing services to Afghans, many of whom are trying to immigrate to Europe.

In a speech at the Global Refugee Forum in Geneva, Amir-Abdollahian said, "The plight of Afghan refugees cannot be resolved without their return to their home country."

He asked the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, neighbouring countries, donor countries, and other interested parties to cooperate effectively with Afghanistan in order to create necessary economic, security and political infrastructure to attract refugees back to their country.

The Iranian foreign minister called the Taliban as primarily responsible for the preparations for the return of Afghans to their country.

Amir-Abdollahian said that despite the "inhuman sanctions of the United States”, the people of Iran have generously shared their limited resources with the Afghan refugees. However, he added that Iran is facing "increasing pressure" on its limited national resources to help an influx of Afghan refugees.

He stated, "This is an unprecedented challenge as our public infrastructure in the healthcare system, basic education, employment, energy, and water sectors are under immense pressure due to the huge number of refugees."

Earlier, an Iranian official had said that they had raised the issue of the return of Afghan immigrants to their country during the visit of a Taliban delegation. However, the group requested for additional time from Iran.

Over the past two months, Taliban has been facing serious challenges with the deportation of immigrants from Pakistan.

According to the interior minister of Pakistan, nearly half a million undocumented Afghan migrants have left Pakistan in the past two months.

This arrangement would grant Afghanistan some independence but make it subordinate to Pakistan in specific areas.

No official statement from Pakistani authorities has confirmed the push for Afghanistan to join a Pakistan-led confederation. However, historical reports, such as a 1954 New York Times article, suggest that General Ayub Khan, then Pakistan's military leader, had similar aspirations. His goal was to counter perceived threats from India and the former Soviet Union by aligning Afghanistan's foreign policy with Pakistan's.

Analysts have long noted Pakistan's efforts to influence Afghanistan's foreign policy, particularly through support for the Taliban and other groups. The former Afghan intelligence chief elaborated that Pakistan's current pressure aims at a confederation where Afghanistan retains some independence whilst being partly subject to Pakistan's authority.

He also mentioned Pakistan's long-term investment in the Taliban, suggesting that Pakistan wouldn't readily abandon its influence for issues like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, which Pakistan reportedly had a hand in creating.

Additionally, the interview touched on the Taliban's connections with Al-Qaeda, highlighting the recent killing of Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan. The former intelligence head claimed that despite reports of Al-Qaeda's diminished capacity, the group remains active and influential in Afghanistan, supported by financial resources and the freedom to recruit and train.

He concluded by emphasising the unbreakable relationship between the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, suggesting that groups like Hamas draw inspiration from the Taliban's successes.