PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa talks with Afghanistan remain stalled as the provincial government urges the federal government to immediately approve the terms of reference (TORs) for cross-border negotiations.
Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, the advisor to the chief minister on information, warned that further delays could worsen security in the region.”The federal government must approve the TORs without delay so that we can initiate the much-needed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa talks with Afghanistan and address security concerns,” Saif stated. He emphasized that the provincial government is ready to send delegations, but bureaucratic hurdles in Islamabad are obstructing the process.
Provincial Plans for Cross-Border Engagement
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has planned two delegations for talks with Afghanistan. The first delegation, consisting of tribal elders and a government official, will focus on diplomatic discussions, while the second, a larger group including multiple stakeholders, will work on tribal diplomacy and preventing the use of Afghan territory against Pakistan.”Our goal is to strengthen ties with tribal communities and build trust,” Saif said. “If Punjab and Sindh’s chief ministers can travel abroad, why is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s engagement with Afghanistan being blocked?”
Accusations of Federal Obstruction
Following the Akora Khattak bombing, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government insists that urgent action is needed to improve security and regional cooperation. Officials claim that the federal government’s reluctance to approve the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa talks with Afghanistan reflects political interference rather than a commitment to counterterrorism.
“The federal government’s double standards are fueling Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s sense of deprivation,” Saif said. The provincial government warns that further delays could strain Pakistan’s cross-border relations and raise questions about Islamabad’s security priorities.
