Imran Khan, former Prime Minister of Pakistan, has claimed that during his tenure, the Taliban in Afghanistan was prepared to cooperate in suppressing the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Khan stated that his government actively engaged with the Taliban regarding cross-border terrorism.
He rejected claims of sheltering "terrorists" during his administration and noted that after the fall of the Afghan government and the Taliban's return to Kabul in August 2021, Pakistan requested the Taliban to eliminate the TTP. He added that the Taliban was ready to cooperate with the Pakistani government.
Khan also acknowledged that General Faiz Hameed, the former head of the ISI, was in contact with the Taliban about suppressing the TTP.
The leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party (PTI) argued that the Pakistani Interior Minister's claims about "terrorists" operating outside Afghanistan suggest that accusations against PTI are unfounded.
He also attributed unrest in Balochistan and attacks in the Kacha region to the Pakistani military.
While Khan discusses the Taliban's cooperation in combating the TTP during his tenure, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid mentioned last week that the group is willing to mediate talks between the Pakistani government and the TTP. Mujahid stated that the Taliban could facilitate negotiations between the two parties.
However, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, dismissed the notion of talks with the TTP and called on the Taliban to extradite TTP members to Pakistan.
