Taliban rejects reviews about JeM chief Masood Azhar searching for refuge in Afghanistan | World News

The Taliban setup in Kabul on Wednesday rejected reviews that Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar has sought refuge in Afghanistan and mentioned it is not going to permit any “armed opposition” teams to function from Afghan soil.

The Taliban’s international ministry issued the clarification following a Pakistani media report that the Overseas Workplace in Islamabad had requested the Taliban to hint and arrest Azhar. The letter despatched by the Pakistani facet had mentioned Azhar was believed to be in Kunar province or Nangarhar province in Afghanistan, Geo News channel reported.

The event got here a couple of month forward of the plenary assembly of the Monetary Motion Activity Power (FATF), which is anticipated to take a name on eradicating Pakistan from the multilateral watchdog’s “gray listing” of nations underneath enhanced monitoring for failing to curb terror financing and cash laundering.

A Taliban spokesman tweeted that the international ministry of Afghanistan rejects media reviews that “Masood Azhar, the chief of the Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammed group, has sought refuge in Afghanistan”.

The spokesman added, “We reiterate that [the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan] doesn't permit any armed opposition [groups] in its territory to function towards every other nation.”

The Taliban referred to as on all events “to chorus from such allegations missing any proof and documentations”. Such media allegations “can adversely have an effect on bilateral relations”, the spokesman mentioned.

Additionally Learn | Pakistan asks Taliban setup to hint and arrest JeM chief Masood Azhar: Report

There was no speedy response to the developments from Indian officers.

The report about Pakistan approaching the Taliban to arrest the JeM chief got here towards the backdrop of stress from Western powers for motion towards Azhar, a UN-designated terrorist chief.

Azhar fashioned JeM after Indian authorities freed him together with two different terrorists in alternate for the passengers of an Indian Airways flight that was hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandahar in December 1999.

The Pakistani facet reportedly knowledgeable FATF earlier this 12 months that it had approached the Taliban in January to assist find Azhar. The JeM operates no less than eight coaching camps in Nangarhar province, in response to report by the UN sanctions monitoring committee.

Earlier this 12 months, Western powers backed India’s name at a gathering of the FATF for motion towards 30 key terrorist leaders, together with Azhar, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) founder Hafiz Saeed and LeT operative Sajid Mir.

Pakistan had contended for months that Mir was useless earlier than authorities confirmed his arrest earlier this 12 months. Mir was subsequently convicted underneath Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act for being a member of the banned LeT, elevating funds for the group, and offering funds for terror actions.

The FATF carried out an “on-site go to” to Pakistan from August 28 to September 2 to evaluate the nation’s compliance with the multilateral watchdog’s motion plans for countering terror financing and cash laundering. This got here forward of Pakistan’s probably elimination from FATF’s “gray listing” in October.