In this episode of "Unraveled with Marvi Sirmed," host Marvi Sirmed speaks with General (Retd.) Asad Durrani, the former head of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI). General Durrani, a key architect of Pakistan's regional policies, explains Pakistan's controversial relationship with the Afghan Taliban and the potential links Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has with regional players like Iran and India.
When asked about allegations that Pakistan was providing sanctuary to the Afghan Taliban while simultaneously receiving aid from the USA, General Durrani replied, “The money was not going to win the Americans' loyalty or interest. The Taliban received more money from the Americans and NATO forces than Pakistan did. Every year, $500 million was flowing into the Taliban from NATO; that is what was happening for security.”
Responding to concerns that supporting the Taliban is now fueling radicalization within Pakistan, General Durrani noted that the ultimate goal was to drive the Soviets out of Afghanistan.
In the current circumstances of insecurity for Pakistan, the key question remains if the country's strategic calculus has backfired, given the Afghan Taliban’s increasing engagement with India? General Durrani told the host, “We are not going to tell them that they cannot deal with India. They have dealt with India before, and India also has a right to engage with them.”
Tune in to the full interview for more.