Pakistan confident Taliban will meet promises: DG ISPR

Islamabad is in constant touch with new Afghan rulers to ensure the country’s security, says Maj Gen Babar Iftikhar

Director-General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar has said that Pakistan was confident the Taliban will fulfill their commitment of not allowing any terrorist organisation to use Afghan soil against any country including Pakistan.

In an interview with Urdu News on Monday, the DG ISPR said that Pakistan was in constant contact with Afghan Taliban officials to safeguard the country’s national security, adding that the Afghan Taliban have reiterated on several occasions that they would not let any group or organisation use the Afghan soil for terror activities.

“We have no reason to doubt their intentions, and that is why we are in constant touch with them to protect our national interest,” Maj Gen Babar added.

Since the Taliban took control of the Afghan capital Kabul last month, Pakistan has been calling upon the international community to play its role in rebuilding the war-ravaged country to ensure peace and stability. Pakistan has also urged the Afghan Taliban to form an inclusive government comprising all ethnicities including Tajiks, Hazaras and Uzbek.

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Last week, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that he had initiated dialogue with the Taliban for an inclusive government and stressed that after 40 years of conflict, inclusivity would ensure peace and stability.

Responding to a question during Monday’s press conference, Major General Babar Iftikhar reassured that border management was being continuously improved and would be completely fortified soon.

"Our goal has always been better management on this side of the border,” he said, adding that fencing the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was a major responsibility given the size of the region and other challenges. Despite all the difficulties, Pakistan has completed the fencing work on 90% of the border. Border management is constantly improving and we are hopeful that it will be fully secured in the near future,” he remarked.

When asked about the Indian media role in the Afghan crisis, the ISPR chief said the manner in which Indian journalists and media outlets spread lies regarding the Panjshir conflict showed that they relied on fabricated and concocted information.

Some leading international and Indian media outlets published and aired fake news stories in an attempt to involve Pakistan in the internal affairs of Afghanistan.