Islamabad: Pakistan has ruled out talks with banned terrorist outfit Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) saying that no talks are possible with elements involved in the killings of Pakistanis and foreigners and urged Afghanistan to act against terrorists operating on its soil, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.
While addressing a weekly press conference on Thursday, Pakistan's Foreign Office Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, "...Pakistan has no designs of entering into any talks with a terror group that has been involved in killings of Pakistani citizens...."
Asked about the Taliban spokesperson's remarks that Afghanistan was willing to mediate between TTP and Pakistan, Baloch said that such statements "should be taken in the proper context of Pakistan's position with regards to dialogue with TTP." She further said that Pakistan and Afghanistan have been holding talks on the issue of terrorism "for the last several months."
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that Pakistan is concerned about the terror threat faced by the country from individuals and entities that get support in Afghanistan, Dawn reported. The spokesperson said, "Pakistan is concerned about the terror threat that we face from individuals and entities which have support and sponsorship from across the border in Afghanistan."
She said that Islamabad expects the Taliban to uphold their sovereignty and take action against terror groups who are using Afghan soil to target Pakistan, Dawn reported.
Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said, "We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan ... We expect the Afghan authorities to uphold their sovereignty and take action against those terror groups which have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and are using Afghan territory to attack Pakistan."