No hostility with Kabul, terror sole concern: FO

Spokesperson confirms diplomatic channels with Kabul remain open, with embassies, consulates functioning normally

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan has reiterated that it does not seek hostility with Afghanistan but made clear that any meaningful improvement in bilateral relations hinges on Kabul providing concrete, verifiable and written assurances that its territory will not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.

The position was articulated on Thursday during the weekly press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where spokesperson Tahir Andrabi underscored that Islamabad's concerns with Afghanistan are narrowly focused on security and not rooted in political or ideological differences.

"Pakistan does not wish to be hostile to Afghanistan," the spokesperson said, stressing that the sole demand from Kabul is the fulfilment of its basic responsibility as a state: preventing terrorist groups and individuals from using Afghan soil to carry out attacks in Pakistan.

He said Pakistan had no bilateral disputes with Afghanistan comparable to those it faces with India, adding that once the terrorism issue is addressed through credible assurances and demonstrable action, there exists "tremendous potential" for cooperation in trade, connectivity and regional integration.

Andrabi said that Pakistan welcomed recent positive statements from Kabul but could not rely on rhetoric alone. "Statements must be backed by concrete, verifiable and written assurances," he said, adding that the absence of such commitments explained Islamabad's continued caution despite its willingness to engage bilaterally and through trilateral mechanisms, involving China.

He confirmed that diplomatic channels with Kabul remain open, with embassies and consulates functioning normally, and said Pakistan continued to engage Afghanistan positively in regional forums, including the China-Afghanistan-Pakistan trilateral dialogue.

Turning to defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia, the spokesperson downplayed reports suggesting that Pakistan was in talks to convert Saudi loans into a deal involving JF-17 Thunder fighter jets.

"Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have a robust, multifaceted relationship, including in defence," Andrabi said, but added that he was not aware of any specific agreement regarding the sale of aircraft or the adjustment of financial obligations.

Any such development, he said, would be confirmed once it materialised. Andrabi also said he had no information regarding any commitment by Pakistan to deploy additional troops to Saudi Arabia, despite the evolving security situation in the region.

The spokesperson issued a sharp rebuttal of allegations by India's external affairs minister, who claimed that Pakistan operated terrorist training centres in urban areas. Rejecting the remarks as "irresponsible and misleading", Andrabi accused New Delhi of attempting to deflect attention from its own record.

He said India's statements were aimed at obscuring recently-surfaced documentary evidence suggesting that New Delhi had sought third-party intervention to secure a ceasefire with Pakistan during the May conflict. "No amount of bluster can obscure India's fabricated counterterrorism narrative," he added.

The spokesperson accused India of acting as a "serial disrupter of peace", citing alleged extrajudicial killings abroad, interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring states and involvement in terrorism inside Pakistan. He also referred to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav and accused India of providing safe havens to wanted criminals.

On Jammu and Kashmir, Andrabi reiterated Pakistan's support for the Kashmiri people's right to self-determination, marking the recent observance of Right to Self-Determination Day. He described India's continued control of the region as an "illegal occupation" characterised by repression, mass detentions and systematic human rights violations.

He strongly criticised India's unilateral actions of August 5, 2019, calling them an attempt at demographic engineering designed to disenfranchise Kashmiris in violation of international law. Pakistan, he said, would continue to raise the issue at international forums and extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the Kashmiri cause.

Addressing questions on regional diplomacy, Andrabi highlighted Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar's recent visit to China, where both sides reaffirmed mutual support on core interests and agreed to upgrade the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to version 2.0.

He said China had acknowledged Pakistan's sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and reiterated its support for Islamabad's sovereignty and territorial integrity, while both countries called for visible action against terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.

The spokesperson also touched on Pakistan's concerns regarding India's reported actions affecting rivers governed by the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), reiterating that the treaty remains a binding international instrument with no provision for unilateral suspension. Pakistan, he said, would continue to raise any violations through diplomatic channels and at relevant international forums.