Pakistan, Afghan Taliban discuss TTP 'resettlement plan'.

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban are discussing a resettlement plan for the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in a renewed push to address the issue of cross-border terrorist attacks that have threatened to unravel their bilateral relationship.

Sources familiar with the development told media that the idea of resettlement came from the Afghan Taliban during the recent visit of a high-powered Pakistani delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. The Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt General Nadeem Anjum was also part of the daylong trip.

The purpose of the visit was to convey to the Afghan Taliban a clear message that Pakistan would no longer seek talks with the TTP since the group used earlier peace efforts to regroup and target Pakistan.

Sensing the Pakistani position, the Afghan Taliban proposed a new plan that envisaged disarming the TTP and relocating their members from the border areas. Unlike the previous plans, the TTP members will be resettled inside Afghanistan.

The Afghan Taliban, however, asked Pakistan to bear the cost of that plan. One official source said that Pakistan will have to bear the cost as certain other countries have done the same.

The source said this was probably the best available solution at the moment to deal with the TTP threat. The source, however, admitted that executing and verifying such a plan would be a challenge. Also, Pakistan wants if any such plan is implemented it has to be irreversible.

Currently, there are between eight to 12 thousand TTP militants in Afghanistan. The number goes up to 30,000 if their family members are included.

After the Afghan Taliban takeover in August 2021, the then government of Prime Minister Imran Khan initiated talks with the...