ISLAMABAD – There are no safe havens of any terrorist organization inPakistan,” Defence Minister Khurram Dastagir Khan said. “But we shouldremember there was a time there were about five million Afghans in Pakistanand so they are scattered across the country.”

In the past three years, domestic security across Pakistan has vastlyimproved following anti-terror operations on insurgents targeting thecountry.

“This is a Pakistan that has largely prevailed over terrorism on its soil,”said Khan. “But apparently the Americans continue to persist in their oldways of thinking and they continue to externalize their failures inAfghanistan by blaming it on Pakistan.”

Despite being at loggerheads with its war-torn neighbor, Khan hinted thatIslamabad is willing to help arrange peace talks with the Taliban whenPakistan officials meet with Afghan counterparts in the coming days. Hecautioned, however, that Pakistan’s influence over the group has“substantively” waned.

Many of the Taliban’s leaders were trained and schooled in extremistseminaries in Pakistan, and have allegedly taken shelter in cities such asQuetta and Karachi over the years.

“We will facilitate to the maximum extent we can, but we cannot guaranteeanything,” Khan said. “We want peace in democratic Afghanistan so we canbegin to exploit the economic benefits of regional connectivity.”——————————

Failed Attempts——————————

It’s yet to be seen if such talks would join the countless failed attemptsto bring the Taliban to the table. Kabul has repeatedly accused Pakistan ofassisting the group and affiliated militants. Islamabad has denied theseallegations, but opposes increased Indian influence in Afghanistan, whichTrump is encouraging. Pakistan’s military, which effectively controlssecurity and foreign policy, fears encirclement from its arch-rival on twofronts.