Pakistan tells Afghanistan: Act against TTP or no trade

The Foreign Office on Friday made it clear that no meaningful trade or economic engagement with Afghanistan can take place as long as the Afghan Taliban regime continues to harbour and support terrorist groups targeting Pakistan.

The statement came in reaction to remarks by the Taliban regime directing local businessmen to trade with countries other than Pakistan and warning that they would not be responsible for any consequences if traders continued relations with Pakistan.

At his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to regional trade and connectivity, but these efforts cannot coexist with cross-border terrorism.

"Pakistan is a strong proponent of regional trade and connectivity," he said.

"We extended a number of trade concessions to Afghanistan, but these positive gestures have not been reciprocated by the Afghan Taliban regime, which continues to harbor and actively support elements perpetrating terrorism against Pakistan from Afghan soil."

The spokesperson clarified that human lives take precedence over trade and economic considerations. "Trade and transit with Afghanistan are only possible if the Afghan Taliban regime takes clear steps against anti-Pakistan elements operating from its territory."

Recent terrorist attacks in Islamabad and Wana have highlighted the gravity of the threat emanating from Afghan soil.

Referring to the attacks in Wana and Islamabad, the spokesperson said, "Both incidents had deep Afghan fingerprints. In the Islamabad attack, an Afghan national was the suicide bomber. So let this reality sink in in Kabul." He stressed that Pakistan will take all necessary measures to protect its people and will continue to hold Afghanistan accountable for terrorists operating from its territory.

The spokesperson also addressed Pakistan's ongoing engagement with the Afghan Taliban regime through dialogue and mediation. While Pakistan remains committed to resolving bilateral differences peacefully, Andrabi warned that dialogue cannot continue without concrete action against groups such as TTP and Fitnah-Al-Khawaraj (FaK).

"Pakistan's core concern terrorism emanating from Afghanistan needs to be addressed first and foremost. We cannot be oblivious to the loss of lives of Pakistanis at the hands of Afghan nationals and these terrorist elements," he said.

On claims that the Afghan Taliban are helpless against TTP, the spokesperson dismissed such statements as untenable. "The argument that they are helpless against TTP is not credible. The Taliban regime claims control over all its territory, yet attacks on Pakistan continue to be orchestrated from Afghan soil," he said, emphasizing that Afghan nationals involved in these attacks bear responsibility alongside the groups they harbor.

The spokesperson noted that Pakistan and the US share multifaceted cooperation across defense, trade, economy, and social sectors, and efforts are underway to further strengthen this comprehensive partnership.

In addition, the spokesperson highlighted Pakistan's stance on the Indus Waters Treaty arbitration with India. Following the recent court decision, he reiterated that India's decision to halt participation in the Neutral Expert proceedings is illegal and does not prevent the process from moving forward.

He condemned India's handling of the Red Fort blast in Delhi and the subsequent crackdown on Kashmiri citizens, describing it as a politically motivated diversion. The spokesperson noted, "India continues to use terrorism as a bogey to divert attention from its internal challenges, while targeting Muslims, particularly Kashmiris, in a systematic campaign of repression."