FO presses Kabul on cross-border terrorism

ISLAMABAD:

The Foreign Office on Friday reiterated its call on Afghanistan to ensure that its soil is not used for terrorist activities against Pakistan, as Islamabad reacted cautiously to Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to India.

Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, during his weekly news briefing, said Pakistan respects Afghanistan's sovereign right to pursue relations with any country. However, he underlined that Pakistan's consistent position has been that Afghan territory should not be allowed to be used against Pakistan.

"Afghanistan is a sovereign, independent country, and we do not have any particular comment to offer on its bilateral relations with any other country," he said.

"Our request to Afghanistan, while respecting their sovereign right to pursue the foreign policy they desire for their country, has been that Afghan territory should not be allowed to be used against Pakistan," he emphasized.

The statement came amid growing concern in Islamabad over the Taliban's deepening engagement with New Delhi.

This week, Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi embarked on a weeklong visit to India, the first such trip by a top Taliban functionary since the group took power in August 2021.

India, which had shut down its embassy in Kabul following the Taliban's takeover, has now decided to restore full diplomatic status to its mission, a move seen as a major shift in New Delhi's policy. The visit, according to Indian media reports, also discussed technical cooperation in areas including water resource management, a matter viewed with suspicion in Pakistan given India's ongoing disputes over water sharing under the suspended Indus Waters Treaty.

Diplomatic observers believe the timing of the Afghan foreign minister's visit is significant, coming at a time when Kabul's ties with Islamabad are at a low point over the issue of cross-border terrorism and Pakistan's recent targeted operations against the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

During the briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson also addressed reports concerning Pakistan's recent counterterrorism operations along the Afghan border.

"Pakistan reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the security and well-being of its people," Shafqat said.

"Our security forces and law enforcement agencies conduct targeted operations in border regions to safeguard our citizens from terrorist threats, particularly those posed by groups such as Fitna al Khwarij or the TTP."

He said these operations are "meticulously planned based on credible and actionable intelligence and executed with precision."

While Pakistan respects Afghanistan's sovereignty, Shafqat said Islamabad remained steadfast in its commitment to foster dialogue and cooperation to address the shared challenge of terrorism.

"Pakistan has consistently prioritized diplomacy, even in the face of persistent threats emanating from terrorist hideouts and sanctuaries inside Afghanistan," he said.