FO blames Taliban for Turkish delegation delay

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Friday confirmed that it has decided to open specific border channels for the passage of United Nations humanitarian assistance into Afghanistan, following formal requests from multiple UN agencies, a move the Foreign Office said reflected Islamabad's "own commitment to humanitarian access" despite continued tensions with Kabul.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, in his weekly media briefing, said Pakistan had approved a phased opening for the UN aid at the request of organisations including the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and UNFPA.

"Consistent with our own commitment to humanitarian access and the requests made by UN agencies, the government has officially approved the movement of humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan which will take place in three phases," he told reporters.

He explained that the first phase would allow containers carrying food items; the second would cover pharmaceutical goods and medical equipment; and the third would include "other essential goods related to education and health."

The spokesperson stressed that the phased mechanism was designed purely to ensure an orderly flow of aid and should not be interpreted politically. "We do not intend to categorize them for any other purpose than to ensure that it will be seamless and determine how the movement of humanitarian aid will flow into Afghanistan," he clarified.

Andrabi emphasised that while Pakistan was facilitating humanitarian relief for ordinary Afghans, the larger border closure remained firmly in place. "As for the utilization of border crossings for the resumption of trade and overall movement... will remain closed," he said.

He reiterated that Pakistan's restrictions were linked to security concerns linked to terrorist infiltrations from across the border.

"Pakistan does not have anything against the people of Afghanistan. The people of Afghanistan are our brothers and sisters. We intend them no harm," he said.

"While the closure of borders has a specific context and the rationale behind it still stands... we remain positive and engaged on the issue of aid to the Afghan people."

Responding to remarks by Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid, who said Afghanistan would not open its side of the border until Pakistan gave "firm guarantees", the spokesperson suggested Kabul may have misunderstood Islamabad's step.

"My guess is that maybe the Afghan spokesperson made that statement by not completely understanding the opening of border offer from Pakistan," he said.

He added that the Afghan side may have assumed Pakistan had opened the border for trade, whereas Islamabad's decision applied strictly to UN aid consignments.

"It is quite possible… that in reaction to that opening for UN humanitarian assistance, the Afghan spokesman may not have understood the full nuance," Andrabi said.

The spokesperson also confirmed that the Turkish delegation, earlier announced by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as part of a mediation effort between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, had not yet arrived.

"Pakistan welcomed the announcement... We stand ready to receive the Turkish delegation. That delegation has not arrived as yet, and I am not aware of any schedule of its arrival," Andrabi said.

He rejected suggestions that Pakistan was unwilling to participate in mediation.

"It is not attributable to Pakistan's cooperation that the Turkish delegation has not arrived yet. Pakistan was open, and stands ready… perhaps by lack of cooperation from the Taliban. This you have to ask the Taliban regime."

On media reports claiming that Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban held talks in Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson said he had no information.

"We are not aware of these negotiations and I have no comment to offer on this," he said, adding earlier that "I do not have any information on the talks you mentioned. If I receive any information, I will share it with you."

Asked about a UN report suggesting increased Taliban-India engagement, the spokesperson said such cooperation had existed historically but was concerning only if directed against Pakistan.

"This kind of collusion has been there... and this is, obviously, disturbing to the extent that it is anti-Pakistan," he said.

He added: "If the two countries cooperate on peaceful issues... Pakistan has no problem with that. Our problem starts when a third country views the relationship with Afghanistan in a zero-sum paradigm with Pakistan."

Responding to a question on allegations that Pakistan had used Israeli spyware, Andrabi dismissed the reports outright.

"These are all media speculations. This is all rumor-mongering disinformation. There is absolutely no cooperation between Pakistan and Israel on anything, let alone a spyware or any tools of that kind. So, I would reject it, quite emphatically so," he said.

Marking 33 years since the demolition of the Babri Mosque, Andrabi delivered an extended statement expressing Pakistan's concern.

He said the event "remains unsettling for all who stand against intolerance and religious discrimination," adding that safeguarding Muslim heritage was "a shared obligation of the international community."

He urged India to promote "tolerance and inclusivity" and reaffirmed Islamabad's commitment to protecting minority rights at home.

The spokesperson also confirmed that Pakistani missions in Thailand and Myanmar were closely coordinating the return of nationals stranded or detained in the region.

"Our two missions are involved in resolving this matter... The presence of these Pakistanis in Myanmar is unfortunate," he said, adding that Pakistan's priorities were their safe return and preventing future trafficking scams.