Pakistan Must Engage Taliban To Tackle Terrorism, Says KP Adviser

A senior adviser to Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government has stated that while Islamabad blames Taliban for terrorism, it refuses to engage in diplomatic talks with the group.

Muhammad Ali Saif, an adviser to the KP chief minister, stressed that dialogue with the Taliban is necessary to curb terrorism. He warned that Pakistan is struggling with rising militant attacks, yet the federal government remains inactive. He accused the country’s prime minister of being a “passive spectator.”

Saif criticised Pakistan’s leadership for lacking a clear counterterrorism strategy and failing to initiate diplomatic talks with Afghanistan. He added that the government does not allow Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to engage with the Taliban either. He warned that if urgent action is not taken, terrorism could spread to Punjab and Sindh.

Earlier, KP Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur linked the province’s insecurity to the situation in Afghanistan. He proposed forming a jirga [tribal council] to negotiate with the Afghan Taliban. He also expressed willingness to send a delegation to Afghanistan, pending federal government approval.

Violence has escalated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in recent months. The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), a major militant group opposing the Pakistani government, has a strong presence in KP.

Pakistani authorities claim the Afghan Taliban supports the TTP, allowing it to launch attacks from Afghan territory. The Taliban denies these allegations, but international reports have corroborated Pakistan’s concerns.