Pakistan cannot dictate or impose its views on Afghan Taliban: spokesman

KARACHI: Afghan Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen has said that Pakistan is welcome to help the Taliban arrive at a negotiated settlement in Afghanistan but it “cannot dictate to us or impose its views on us”.

Shaheen made the remarks during his interview with Geo News on programme “Jirga” late Sunday night.

“We want brotherly relations (with Pakistan). They are neighbours, a Muslim country, and we have shared values — historical, religious and cultural. “They can help us in the peace process but cant dictate to us or impose their views. And this is against international principles,” he added.

Speaking of the Taliban’s demand for an Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, Shaheen said that having an emirate is “a legitimate right of the people of Afghanistan”.

“We say nothing about other governments. They should not impose their view,” he said, reiterating: “This is not in accordance with international principles either.”

On whether the Taliban accept the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or consider them opponents, after the TTP emir swore fealty to Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Haibatullah Akhunzada, Shaheen said: “I do not know of the TTP emir swearing allegiance [to our leader] but I will tell you the policy of the Islamic Emirate.”

“We will not allow the use of Afghan soil, neither by an individual nor by any group. I have said this in many interviews and I think our position is clear and known to all.”