The Foreign Office on Friday stressed that Pakistan would not negotiate with any terrorist group targeting its armed forces and civilians, calling on Kabul to take decisive action against terrorist groups such as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
“There has been an increase in terrorist incidents [in Pakistan] during the Afghan [Taliban] regime,” FO spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said during a weekly media briefing.
Andrabi urged the Taliban regime to prevent its soil from being used for terrorism inside Pakistan.
However, he said that a “lobby within the Afghan Taliban was taking money from outside” and using it against Pakistan.
The FO spokesperson expressed gratitude to Turkiye and Qatar for making efforts to ease tension between the two countries.
“A recent round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban took place in Istanbul,” he said, adding that Pakistan had approached the Afghan Taliban regime with a positive intent.
However, he lamented Kabul’s response to Pakistan’s initiative, saying that the Taliban regime was portraying “terrorist safe havens in Afghanistan as a humanitarian issue”.
The peace negotiation between the two bordering nations collapsed without an agreement over what Islamabad called the Taliban delegation’s “illogical” arguments; however, a ceasefire continues between the two neighbours.
The dialogue, first mediated by Qatar and then by Turkiye, began last month after a week-long border clash, instigated by the Taliban forces.
Pakistan eliminated over 200 Taliban fighters and their affiliated militants in retaliatory operations after they launched an unprovoked attack on multiple border posts of Pakistan’s forces.
Security forces also conducted “precision strikes” deep inside Afghanistan, including Kabul, and destroyed several terrorist hideouts.
Meanwhile, the FO spokesperson rubbished the Afghan Taliban’s attempt to portray the cross-border terrorism as a humanitarian issue, saying the presence of terrorists and their safe havens in Afghanistan was “absolutely not a humanitarian issue”.
Despite the Afghan Taliban’s lack of commitment to regional peace, Andrabi said that Islamabad welcomed any efforts aimed at mediating tensions between the two countries.
“We welcome Iran’s efforts at mediation. We are confident that they can play an important role in mediation,” he added.
Andrabi emphasised Pakistan’s unified approach in eradicating terrorism, saying that any claims about differences within Pakistan on its Afghan policy were propaganda by elements within the Taliban regime.
The FO spokesperson assailed Kabul for attempts to stoke Pashtun ethnic sentiment in Pakistan. “A larger Pashtun population resides in Pakistan than in Afghanistan.”
Pakistan was determined to eliminate the scourge of terrorism, he said, adding that the nation stood firm with the armed forces in their fight against terrorists.
Jordan’s King Abdullah arrives tomorrow
During the briefing, the FO spokesperson announced that Jordan’s King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein was scheduled to arrive in the country tomorrow (Saturday) for a two-day official visit.
King Abdullah is arriving in Pakistan for a visit from November 15–16 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said.
“During his visit, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein will hold important meetings with the President and the Prime Minister of Pakistan,” read a statement issued by the FO.
A special investiture ceremony will be held at the Aiwan-e-Sadr (President’s House) to confer the highest civilian award upon King Abdullah II, it added.
The FO stated that the visit would play an essential role in deepening bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The Jordanian leader is visiting the country after the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir’s visit to the country last month.
During his visit, Field Marshal Munir held meetings with King Abdullah II and the country’s military leaders, where they discussed cooperation in defence and security.
‘India’s boycott can’t halt court proceedings on IWT’
Pakistan has taken note of the ruling issued by the Court of Arbitration in the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) arbitration process, the FO spokesperson said, adding that India’s boycott could not halt the proceedings.
“Further court hearings will take place in Vienna from November 17 to 21,” Andrabi said, while affirming that Pakistan would continue to participate in the proceedings in good faith.
The spokesperson also assailed India for spreading a “negative and false propaganda” about Islamabad’s nuclear programme.
“Pakistan last conducted a nuclear test on May 28, 1999,” he said, noting that India’s record on nuclear safety and security had not been good.
“Last year, stolen material from the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre was being sold on the black market,” the spokesperson added.
