LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has said that incumbent government has paid no attention to Taliban returning from Afghanistan which caused this wave of terrorism. In conversation with Turkish scholars and students on Thursday Imran Khan said there is difference between Pakistani Taliban and Afghan Taliban. He said Pakistani Pashtoon has supported Afghan Taliban during war against Soviet Union, That time they were told that it is “Jehad” because it is against foreign attackers and after 9/11 they were stopped and said this is terrorism, that is why they become anti-Pakistan even tribal people went against Pakistan which were called TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan). He said I was against to be part of any war. Pakistan government should be neutral on this issue.

Afghan Taliban has no relation with Pakistan Taliban, he went on, after capturing Kabul, Afghan Taliban said Pakistan Taliban to go back and that was best to negotiate them so we can settle them.  Imran maintained that my government was in contact with them and 40, 000 people were ready to comeback and 10,000 and their family were warrior among them, but negotiation power was taken from me and new government has not paid any attention to Taliban returning from Afghanistan that is why now Pakistan is facing this fresh wave of terrorism.

Control has to be taken on the fresh wave of terrorism, he added. Chairman PTI said that negotiations went ahead on Affia Siddiqi release during Trump reign but after end of trump administration no negotiations continued.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 30 2022

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