China plays peacemaker in Pakistan's war with Pakistani Taliban terror group: Report

China is reportedly mediating between Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban regime to tackle the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group, Express Tribune newspaper reported citing official sources.

The TTP, or Pakistani Taliban, is an armed terrorist group and is considered a close ally of the Afghan Taliban. They seek the ouster of the civilian government and impose stricter Islamic laws like in the present-day Afghanistan.

According to news reports, China has asked Pakistan and the Taliban regime to come up with a “workable solution” and make sure that the TTP is brought back to the discussion table again.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

China is reported to have voiced its opinion during a recent trilateral meeting between foreign ministers of the three countries in Islamabad to discuss the current situation in Afghanistan.

During that meeting, Beijing asked the Afghan Taliban to neutralise the threat posed by the East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM)— an extremist group of native Uyghurs, a Muslim minority in China, whose objective is to form a sovereign nation of East Turkestan, carved out from China’s Xinjiang province.

The Express Tribune report quoting an unnamed senior official stated that Pakistan had requested China to intervene in the matter and leverage its economic power over Afghan Taliban to tackle the issue of TPP.

Reports further stated that China was keen that both sides do not lose sight of the bigger picture while addressing the issue of TTP.

China and Pakistan agree to extend BRI to Afghanistan | Inside South Asia

“Essentially, China doesn’t want the TTP issue to undermine bilateral ties, something that would be detrimental to regional connectivity,” the report said quoting sources.

Last week at a press conference, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang hoped "Pakistan and Afghanistan will bear in mind the larger picture and try to work out the issues between them through dialogue and consultation."

TTP was officially set up by Pakistani militants in 2007 when different outlawed groups agreed to work together against Pakistan and support the Afghan Taliban, who were fighting US and NATO forces.

The TTP seeks stricter enforcement of Islamic laws, the release of its members in government custody, and a reduction in Pakistani military presence in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the province bordering Afghanistan that it has long used as a base.

Since November last year, the TTP has increased attacks on Pakistani soldiers and police, when it unilaterally ended a cease-fire with the government after the failure of months of talks, hosted by Afghanistan's Taliban rulers in Kabul.

TTP's operations have largely been aimed at targeting Pakistani forces, similar to the Afghan Taliban's agenda of ousting foreign forces from the country.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE