Defence minister rules out TTP talks, says Pakistan only engaging Afghan Taliban

• Ceasefire talks held in cordial atmosphere: minister.
• Minister expresses "guarded optimism" on peace.
• Pakistan to raise TTP issue in next meeting, says Asif.
  

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday dismissed any possibility of talks with the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), stating that Pakistan was only engaged with the Taliban regime currently in power in Afghanistan.

Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to stop hostilities in talks mediated by Qatar on Sunday after a week-long border clash, which began after the Taliban, aided by affiliated militants, launched attacks on the Pakistan Army's posts along the border.

Speaking on Geo News programme "Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath", the defence minister said that Pakistan has informal diplomatic relations with the neighbouring country.

"I want to clarify that we are holding talks with TTA [Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan]. We will never negotiate with the TTP," he added.

The minister — who led the Pakistani delegation in Doha — stated that the ceasefire talks with the Afghan Taliban counterpart were held in a cordial atmosphere.

"There was no bitterness from any side during the talks," he said, while acknowledging the crucial role of Qatar and Turkiye.

Asif revealed that the ceasefire draft consisted of just four paragraphs, saying that the lengthy draft making rounds on social media was fabricated.

The defence minister said that a detailed discussion on the ceasefire agreement would be held in Turkiye.

The minister stated that he had changed his views on whether the peace between the two countries would hold.

Asif had said that the ceasefire was "fragile" after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed on a 48-hour temporary ceasefire on October 15.

However, he said that he changed his views from 'fragile' to "guarded optimism".

"One should always hold on to hope, but it is too early to say anything conclusively," he said.

The defence minister cautioned that there have been growing voices in Afghanistan since the agreement. "Let us hope that they [Afghanistan] conclude this matter with us as a unified government."

However, Asif stated that brotherly countries will be warned about the risks of the conflict widening in case of any violation of the ceasefire agreement.

He also warned of the outlawed TTP and India's attempts to "sabotage the agreement", saying that such a situation could arise.

The minister dismissed the Afghan Taliban regime's claims that the TTP was operating from within Pakistan.

"Leaders of the TTP and all its factions are in Afghanistan. They have homes, families and training camps there," he said.

Asif stated that the  Pakistani delegation will raise the issue with the Afghan delegation in the next meeting, scheduled to take place on October 25 in Istanbul, Turkiye.