Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to send two delegations for talks with Afghan Taliban

The government of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has decided to dispatch two delegations, consisting of tribal elders, religious scholars, and political leaders, to engage in direct negotiations with the Afghan Taliban rulers.

This initiative aims to foster peace and stability in the region, a KP government spokesman announced on Sunday, amid a surge in militant attacks in the province bordering Afghanistan.

This decision follows a statement by KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, who emphasized that the province’s security situation is closely linked to “developments in neighboring Afghanistan.” His remarks came after a consultative meeting, titled “National Unity Against Terrorism,” which gathered representatives from various religious and political parties to discuss security challenges.

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The planned engagement with Kabul will focus on crucial issues such as cross-border security, economic cooperation, and trade.

KP government spokesman Muhammad Ali Saif has been designated as the focal person for these efforts and will be part of all delegations, according to a statement issued by the provincial information department.

Pakistan has faced increasing militant activity in KP since the collapse of a fragile ceasefire between the Pakistani Taliban, or Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Islamabad in November 2022.