ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia have discussed the regional terrorist threat emanating from Afghanistan and the risks it poses to neighbouring states and broader regional security.
This matter was discussed during the 12th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism, which was held in Islamabad on 23 June 2026.
“Additional Secretary (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Muhammad Khalid Khan Jamali and Russian Federation Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmitry Lyubinsky led the dialogue,” a Foreign Office statement said.
The 12th meeting of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism was held in Islamabad on 23 June 2026. Additional Secretary (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Ambassador Muhammad Khalid Khan Jamali and Russian Federation Deputy Minister for Foreign… pic.twitter.com/ZeN9gpNNFo
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 23, 2026
“Pakistan emphasised the need for immediate and verifiable action by the relevant authorities in Afghanistan against these terrorist groups to ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for planning and conducting terrorist activities against any country,” the statement said.
The two sides also discussed evolving trends in terrorism, including the use of new methods by terrorist organisations for financing and recruitment, and stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to address these emerging threats.
Both sides expressed satisfaction with the positive momentum in bilateral counterterrorism cooperation and identified opportunities to further strengthen collaboration through regional and international platforms, particularly the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
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12th Round of the Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) June 23, 2026
The next meeting of the Joint Working Group is scheduled to be held in Moscow next year.
Earlier, a photograph showcasing the top tier of the banned Hafiz Gul Bahadur Group lounging at the luxury hotel in Kabul has provided undeniable, concrete proof of Pakistan’s longstanding stance that anti-Pakistan terrorist groups are not only operating from Afghan soil but are enjoying premium, high-level sanctuary under the current Afghan Taliban regime.
The photograph, which captures the senior leadership of the terrorist group, which operates in close coordination with the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) terrorist group, depicts senior Gul Bahadur Group commander and head Abu Sufyan Karavan, Sadr Hayat, Alias Abu Sufyan, alongside key figures Commander Jalali, Commander Rehbar Waziristani, and Commander Ghazi.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge in terrorist attacks, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in Kabul in 2021.
Pakistan says the Afghan Taliban regime’s continued support for terrorist groups has enabled them to carry out attacks against the Pakistan military and civilian population along the Pak-Afghan border and in adjoining areas.
For years, Islamabad has repeatedly presented evidence and demanded that the Afghan Taliban regime take strict action against cross-border terror hubs.
However, Kabul has consistently denied providing sanctuary to these terrorist elements but this new photographic evidence completely dismantles those denials, laying bare the open luxury and official impunity granted to designated terrorists responsible for major attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.
