Amid continued tensions between Taliban and Pakistani authorities, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid rejected recent allegations from Pakistani officials, saying instability in Pakistan is not in Afghanistan’s interest and that Taliban authorities lack the resources to fuel or finance insecurity in other countries.
“We do not have the resources to create insecurity in other countries or finance it,” Mujahid said in a statement.
He also said instability in Pakistan is not in Afghanistan’s interest because insecurity in the neighboring country harms Afghanistan and the wider region economically, socially and in humanitarian terms.
Mujahid blamed Pakistan’s military and other security institutions for what he described as an attempt to shift responsibility to Afghanistan when they are unable to maintain security in their own country.
His remarks came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif told a high-level security meeting in Peshawar that militant attacks originating from Afghanistan were continuing “day and night” and targeting Pakistani security forces and civilians.
“Terrorism from Afghanistan continues day and night,” Sharif said. “Terrorists enter Pakistan from that country, carry out attacks and kill innocent people, police officers and personnel, as well as army officers and soldiers.”
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari also said Friday that Pakistan’s government has no hostility toward the Afghan people but would not allow militants to use Afghan territory to attack Pakistan and its citizens.
Mujahid strongly rejected the allegations and said Pakistani authorities should focus on their own security responsibilities rather than blame Afghanistan.
He also claimed that Pakistan, in response to its own security problems, was spending resources on efforts to “destabilize Afghanistan.” He provided no evidence for the claim.
Pakistan has repeatedly said militants, particularly members of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, operate from sanctuaries in Afghanistan and launch attacks across the border. Taliban authorities have repeatedly rejected the allegations, saying Pakistan is responsible for addressing security threats within its own territory.
The dispute over militant activity has become a major source of tension between Taliban authorities and Pakistan.
A UN sanctions monitoring team has estimated that TTP has about 6,000 fighters in Afghanistan, adding to international concerns over the group’s presence and activities in the country.
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