{"id":47175,"date":"2024-01-12T23:40:05","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T23:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/islamabad-distances-itself-from-fazls-kabul-sojourn\/"},"modified":"2024-01-12T23:40:05","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T23:40:05","slug":"islamabad-distances-itself-from-fazls-kabul-sojourn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/islamabad-distances-itself-from-fazls-kabul-sojourn\/","title":{"rendered":"Islamabad distances itself from Fazl\u2019s Kabul sojourn"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p>ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday distanced itself from Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/1803989\">visit to Afghanistan<\/a> that focused on the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issue, a key point of contention in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe (Fazl) is not visiting Afghanistan as an emissary of the Government of Pakistan and he is there in his individual capacity,\u201d FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing while responding to multiple questions about the trip by the prominent religio-political figure.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1804653\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Maulana Fazl had travelled to Kabul on Sunday leading a delegation of Deobandi clerics, some of whom enjoy considerable influence on Afghanistan\u2019s Taliban rulers.<\/p>\n<p>Though this is the second time that FO dissociated itself from the visit, Pakistani charg\u00e9 d\u2019affaires in Kabul Obaid Nizamani had accompanied him on the journey from Islamabad. He had, moreover, been briefed on Afghan ties at FO before embarking on the visit.<\/p>\n<p>Maulana Fazl received the official invitation for the trip from Taliban administration after he conveyed his desire to visit Afghanistan for discussing issues that had been souring the ties, especially that of TTP.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"blockquote-level-1\">\n<p>FO spokesperson rubbishes claims in ex-Indian envoy\u2019s book as attempt to advance India\u2019s \u2018fictitious narratives\u2019<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>During his visit, Maulana Fazl, who undertook the trip in the middle of hectic election campaign, met key Taliban leaders, including the Prime Minister of the interim Afghan government and the supreme leader Haibatullah Akhunzada in Kandahar. It was Maulana Fazl\u2019s first trip to Afghanistan since Taliban\u2019s assumption of control following the US withdrawal in 2021.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1804321\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Though Maulana Fazl and his entourage were warmly welcomed in Afghanistan, many Taliban leaders were sceptical about the initiative as they believed that the cleric undertook the visit for personal interests.<\/p>\n<p>Maulana Fazl reportedly assured his Taliban interlocutors that the incoming government, which will take office after Feb 8 polls, will review the issue of negotiations with TTP. He had also sought Afghan Taliban administration\u2019s help for preventing TTP attacks during elections.<\/p>\n<p>On the possibility of resumption of talks with TTP that broke down in late 2022 when the terrorist group ended the ceasefire, the FO spokesperson said: \u201cOur position hasn\u2019t changed. Pakistan is not interested in dialogue with TTP. We have no dialogue taking place, nor do we intend to have a dialogue with TTP.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur demands from the Afghan authorities haven\u2019t changed, they remain the same, which is that the Afghan authorities should take action, effective action against terrorist elements inside Afghanistan, including TTP leadership,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Indian diplomat\u2019s book<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The spokesperson disparaged the former High Commissioner of India to Pakistan Ajay Bisaria\u2019s newly released book, <em>Anger Management: The Troubled Diplomatic Relationship between India and Pakistan<\/em>, as an attempt to \u201cadvance India\u2019s fictitious narratives around the developments of February 2019 and the usual chest thumping that Indian officials have adopted as their default narrative\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The book covers significant events such as the Pulwama attack, the Balakot airstrike, and the abrogation of Article 370 in Kashmir. The book notably reveals an incident where former PM Imran Khan, fearing an Indian missile attack post-Balakot, tried to initiate a midnight call with Indian PM Narendra Modi to avert further escalation.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAs the next Lok Sabha elections draw closer, it is not surprising that a Pakistan bashing, jingoistic and militaristic narrative is now being unleashed in India,\u201d she further noted.<\/p>\n<p><em>Published in Dawn, January 12th, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Thursday distanced itself from Jamiat Ulama-i-Islam-Fazl chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman\u2019s visit to Afghanistan that focused on the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) issue, a key point of contention in Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. \u201cHe (Fazl) is not visiting Afghanistan as an emissary of the Government of Pakistan and he is there in his individual 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