KEY POINTS
- Foreign Office spokesperson welcomes Afghan scholars’ resolution but says it is not a substitute for written assurance
- Islamabad accuses Taliban-linked groups and Indian involvement in supporting them
- Border closures continue; humanitarian assistance offered to Afghanistan
- Foreign Office spokesperson highlights lack of formal extradition treaty with UK, welcomes US F-16 support
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday renewed its call on the Afghanistan’s Taliban regime to provide formal as well as written assurances to ward off the use of the Afghan territory by terrorist groups to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at his weekly press briefing that Islamabad welcomes recognition of the terrorism issue by Afghan scholars but emphasised that such a resolution is not equivalent to a written assurance from Kabul.
Pakistan has long argued that groups such as the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan remain active in parts of Afghan territory and continue to perpetrate attacks on Pakistani soil, allegations the Afghan side typically disputes.
“It is a positive development that Afghan society’s voices are recognising the problem,” Andrabi said, referring to a resolution passed by around 1,000 Afghan scholars stating that Afghan soil should not be used to harm other countries.
But he underscored that previous verbal commitments have not been fulfilled, and Islamabad will only regard the issue as resolved after official written guarantees from the Afghan leadership.
The demand comes amid broader tensions between the two neighbours. Cross-border clashes have occurred in recent weeks, including exchanges of fire along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that resulted in casualties and heightened diplomatic strain.
A fragile ceasefire mediated earlier this year has struggled to hold as Islamabad insists on verifiable action against militants, according to Reuters.
Andrabi reiterated Pakistan’s willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, given the long history of ties between the peoples of both countries, but said security concerns remain paramount.
The Spokesman welcomed a US package of $686 million for F-16 upgrades as part of regular defence cooperation and said Islamabad looks forward to expanding multifaceted cooperation with Washington, as reported by Radio Pakistan.
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On regional cooperation, the spokesperson lamented that the SAARC process remains blocked by India and expressed hope for its revival, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to multilateralism.
He also emphasised Islamabad’s position on Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), describing it as a legally recognised international dispute and pledging continued diplomatic support for Kashmiri rights.
When asked about Pakistan’s relationship with the United Kingdom, Andrabi noted that there is no formal extradition treaty between the two countries but said extradition requests can be handled on a case-by-case basis, with certain cases already submitted for consideration.
The Foreign Office statement reflects a broader pattern of diplomatic and security challenges in Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan, with repeated calls for Kabul to act against terrorism emanating from Afghan territory and earlier warnings from Pakistani officials that unresolved issues could threaten peace and stability in the region.
