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Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated on Tuesday that Islamabad should stop making “provocative and unfounded” statements, adding that his government wants to maintain “positive ties” with Pakistan and all of its neighbors.
His statement came a day after the National Security Committee (NSC), under the leadership of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, asked the government in Kabul — without naming it — not to provide sanctuaries to Pakistani terrorist groups on its soil.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in terror incidents, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, during the past couple of months after the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) declared to end the ceasefire with Pakistan.
“Afghanistan seeks good diplomatic relations with all neighbors, including Pakistan”, a statement issued by the Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, adding that good diplomatic ties were crucial to development.
“Islamabad’s statements over Afghanistan are undesirable”, as he stressed that “the Islamic Emirate would not allow its land to be used to spread militancy and disability against a neighboring country”, the spokesman said.
Simultaneously, he said that “we demand that Islamabad take measures to control unrest, militancy and the law-and-order situation”.
“The Islamic Emirate attaches importance to peace and stability in Afghanistan. Similarly, we want peace and stability in the whole region and will continue efforts for this objective,” the Taliban spokesman said.
Separately, Mujahid told BBC Pashto on Tuesday that TTP leaders were residing in Pakistan, not Afghanistan. “We do not give shelter to TTP leaders but they come to Kabul for negotiating with Pakistani delegations. They would come from Pakistan for the talks,” Mujahid claimed.
