ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s special envoy to Afghanistan on Wednesday announced he was resigning from his post to focus on “personal pursuits,” as ties between the two countries remain strained with Islamabad urging Kabul to take action against militants on its soil.
Amid a sharp rise in militant attacks by the Pakistani Taliban or the TTP, Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan have taken a hit. Pakistani officials have repeatedly asked the Afghan Taliban to rein in militant groups it says operate from within Afghanistan.
“After serving close to three years as Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, I have requested the Government that the time had come for me to move on & focus on my personal pursuits,” Sadiq wrote in a Twitter post.
Sadiq thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and other stakeholders for supporting him throughout his tenure. He appreciated his colleagues for trying hard “to make the Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship work.”
Relations between the two neighbors hit a further low over the past couple of months amid border clashes between the two sides, often resulting in civilian casualties. Last week, the main Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was temporarily closed over clashes.
A high-level Pakistani delegation, led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, also visited Kabul last month to hold talks on security issues with the Taliban leadership. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said Islamabad had been assured that “no one will create a threat to Pakistan.”
