Pakistan’s top general calls on IEA to pick between ties with Islamabad or TTP

Pakistan’s newly appointed armed forces chief called on the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) on Monday to choose between maintaining ties with Islamabad or supporting the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

Munir made his remarks at his headquarters in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, where he received a guard of honor from all three branches of the military, marking the launch of Pakistan’s new joint military command.

Munir said that the new Defence Forces Headquarters marks a historic step, creating a unified tri-services command to boost coordination across land, air, sea, cybersecurity and information domains amid rising security threats, according to a military statement.

Munir told officers that a “clear message” had been conveyed to the Islamic Emirate in Kabul that it must choose between Pakistan and the TTP.

The Islamic Emirate has not yet responded to Munir’s remarks.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have been deteriorating since October, when several days of fighting left dozens dead and hundreds injured.

Pakistani officials have consistently claimed that attacks in the country are being organized by militants based in Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has rejected this claim and said that Afghanistan cannot be held responsible for Pakistan’s security.