Did Not Ask Pakistan For Money To Keep TTP Away From Border Areas, Says Taliban

The Taliban's deputy spokesman denied the Pakistani Defence Minister's claim that the Taliban had demanded 10 billion rupees in exchange for the removal of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters from the border areas.

The Pakistani Defence Minister had said that the Taliban had demanded 10 billion rupees to remove TTP fighters from the border areas.

Hamdullah Fitrat, deputy spokesman for the Taliban, said on Thursday in response to the claim, "It is regrettable that high-ranking Pakistani officials are making such false statements."

Earlier, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif had claimed that during his visit to Afghanistan in 2022, Taliban’s Defence Minister Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid had demanded 10 billion Pakistani rupees to move the TTP from areas near the Durand Line to western Afghanistan.

Pakistani officials have repeatedly asked the Taliban to not allow Pakistani militants to operate in border areas and attack Pakistani security forces.

Pakistan has always accused the Afghan Taliban of supporting armed groups opposed to its government, especially the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.

In recent months, there have been reports that the Taliban is planning to move TTP members to northern Afghanistan.