KEY POINTS
- Pakistan urges the Taliban authorities to prevent use of Afghan soil for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
- Pakistan’s security forces are conducting “precisely targeted operations” based on credible intelligence.
- Spokesperson says Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty.
- FO spokesperson calls the banned TTP a “common threat” and urged joint regional action against terrorism.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Friday urged the Taliban authorities to ensure that Afghanistan’s territory is not used as a base for terrorist attacks against Pakistan, following a series of terror attacks in the bordering Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said at a weekly press briefing that Pakistan’s security forces and law enforcement agencies were conducting “precisely targeted operations” in border regions to protect citizens from terrorist threats, particularly those posed by the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terror group.
“These operations are meticulously planned based on credible and actionable intelligence,” the spokesperson said, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to the security and well-being of its people.
The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereignty and remains committed to dialogue and cooperation to address shared security concerns.
“Pakistan has consistently prioritised diplomacy even in the face of persistent threats emanating from terrorist hideouts and sanctuaries inside Afghanistan,” he said.
Shared responsibility to counter terrorism
The spokesperson described terror groups such as the banned TTP as a “common threat” to regional peace and stability, urging collective efforts to dismantle their networks.
“Pakistan believes both nations share a mutual interest in defeating terrorism and restoring peace. Afghanistan’s stability is tied to its ability to reclaim sovereignty and security through robust action against terrorist organisations,” Shafqat said.
He also highlighted recent diplomatic engagements, noting that Pakistan’s Special Representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador Muhammad Sadiq, had represented the country at the Quadripartite Group meeting with China, Iran and Russia in Moscow and at the subsequent Moscow Format dialogue.
“Ambassador Sadiq held bilateral meetings with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and other senior diplomats to reinforce regional commitments to combat terrorism and promote political dialogue,” the spokesperson said.
Pakistan Army warns Kabul over terror sanctuaries
Meanwhile, Pakistan military’s spokesperson Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry warned that terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory posed a grave threat not only to Pakistan but to international peace.
Speaking at a press conference in Peshawar, the military spokesperson said Kabul must make a “clear decision” not to allow its soil to be used against Pakistan.
“We tell Afghanistan not to allow its soil to become a haven for terrorists and non-state actors,” he said. “We will take every step necessary to protect the people of Pakistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”
The warning came hours after Pakistan’s security forces killed nearly 30 TTP terrorists in coordinated operations near the Afghan border.
‘Every alphabet’ of terrorists found in Afghanistan
The military spokesperson said Afghanistan had become a hub for various terrorist groups, including the banned TTP, Daesh, and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).
“Every alphabet of non-state actors is found in Afghanistan,” he said, adding that these terror groups “have no religion, ideology, or identity — they work for the highest bidder.”
The DG ISPR warned that tolerating such terror groups could backfire. “History shows that when states nurture such elements, they eventually turn against their benefactors,” he said.
Diplomatic engagement with Afghan authorities
DG ISPR Chaudhry said Pakistan was engaging Afghan authorities at diplomatic and defence levels but maintained that “security cannot be outsourced.”
“While consultations continue with regional and global partners, Pakistan’s security is ultimately the responsibility of its state institutions and armed forces,” he said.
He added that the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan reflected “either an internal power struggle within the Afghan government or a loss of control,” but emphasised that it was up to Kabul to decide how to resolve the issue.
