Taliban fighters near Pakistan border (Photo- AP/PTI)

The talks between Pakistan and Afghan Taliban in Istanbul once again ended without any result. But this time the root of the controversy is not a political issue, but a fatwa.

Pakistan wanted the Afghan Taliban to declare from its Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada that the war going on in Pakistan is un-Islamic. That is, Taliban should declare the ongoing conflict against Pakistan as wrong. But the Afghan Taliban rejected this demand in clear words.

Taliban’s stance: Emirs give orders, not fatwas

Rahmatullah Najib, head of the Taliban negotiating team, who is also the deputy interior minister in the Afghan government, said that the Pakistani delegation had requested him that Hibatullah Akhundzada declare the war illegitimate. On this the Taliban said that the Emir gives orders, not fatwas.

According to Najeeb, if Pakistan wants any religious order, then it will have to make a formal application to Taliban’s Darul Ifta i.e. the body that issues fatwas. At the same time, he clearly said that Pakistan should not expect to get a fatwa as per its wish, the fatwa will be as per the dictates of Shariat. Najib bluntly said that the Afghan Taliban can neither call any war which is being fought outside Afghanistan as legitimate nor illegitimate.

What are the conditions of Taliban?

Taliban has two conditions. Two simple and practical conditions were put forward by Taliban to Pakistan. The first demand is that Pakistan should destroy the bases of ISIS (Islamic State) in its territory and arrest its leaders. And the second condition is that Pakistani military aircraft should stop violating the Afghan border. Najib says that his demands were clear, but the talks broke down because Pakistan remained adamant on impractical conditions.

Pakistan’s demand: Control TTP

On the other hand, Pakistani Defense Minister Khawaja Asif had said that his Istanbul visit was to ensure action against TTP (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan). Pakistan wants the Afghan Taliban to declare TTP as a terrorist organization and expel its members from Afghan soil. But Taliban rejected these allegations and said that no foreign power is present in Afghanistan and also refused to declare TTP as terrorist.