Pakistan's Defence Minister opposes provincial engagement with Taliban, citing threat to national unity and need for cohesive counter-terrorism strategy.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has condemned Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur's plan to engage directly with Afghanistan's Taliban government, labeling it as a threat to national unity. Gandapur aims to send a delegation to Kabul to address security issues, amid rising terrorism linked to the Taliban's 2021 takeover. Asif asserted that provinces lack the authority for such negotiations, highlighting the need for a cohesive national counter-terrorism strategy.

September 12, 2024
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