ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has again demanded of Afghanistan to hand over chief of outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Mullah Fazlullah.

“Pakistan has asked Afghanistan to hand over Mullah Fazaullah so that he could be prosecuted for his involvement in acts of terrorism,” Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz told reporters after inaugurating a seminar on Pak-China ties here.

Mullah Fazlullah has been in hiding in Afghanistan since he fled the military operation in Swat in 2009. He has continued to live in Afghanistan after becoming the head of the TTP last year.

While Fazlullah has been directing terrorist activities inside Pakistan from his sanctuaries in Afghanistan, he has also organised cross-border attacks from there that have caused both civilian and military casualties.

Islamabad wants Kabul to dislodge Taliban from their sanctuaries

Pakistan has on a number of occasions in the past demanded Fazlullah’s handover, but Islamabad’s pleas have gone unheard.

The latest demand for the handover of Mullah Fazlul­lah comes amidst renewed cross-border attacks on border posts by Taliban terrorists in Kunar and Nuristan.

Fazlullah’s handover is one of the credible actions Pakistan is asking Afghanistan to take against concentration of Pakistani insurgents on its territory.

Islamabad wants Kabul to dislodge Taliban from their sanctuaries.

In the past, it was said that Kabul turned a blind eye to presence of Pakistani Taliban in Kunar and Nuristan because of existence of Afghan Taliban hideouts in North Waziristan.

Pakistan launched an operation in North Waziristan on June 15 to flush out the fighters, but doubts linger on.

In demarches given to Afghan government over the most recent cross-border raids, the Pakistan government has been reminding Kabul of the military operation in North Waziristan.

Mr Aziz said: “Pakistan has launched an unprecedented full scale military operation against all terrorist groups in North Waziristan. The military operation is proceeding successfully.”

He said that a large part of the area had been cleared of terrorists and their hideouts destroyed.

Military authorities claim that towns of Miramshah, Mirali,Boya, Degan, and area up till Dattakhel have been cleared. There are, however, pockets of resistance in between Miranshah-Mirali in villages Momin Gul, Ziarat, Darpakhel, Tappi, Spalga and south of Tochi river.

The adviser said all terrorist groups, “whether local or foreign” would be eliminated.

“Our objective is to eliminate all terrorist entities, to establish the writ of the State and not let our territory be used against any other country,” he stressed.

OIC: An emergency meeting of the OIC executive committee has been called to meet in Jeddah on Aug 12 to discuss the Gaza crisis.

“Saudi FM Saud Al-Faisal will chair the meeting to which Pakistan has also been invited,” Mr Aziz said.

He said Muslim countries needed to look for a durable solution to the Palestine issue.

Published in Dawn, August 6th, 2014