Pakistan denies Afghan policy U-turn

FO says cross-border anti-terror operation to continue

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan on Thursday confirmed that talks with Afghanistan were ongoing under a trilateral mechanism involving China, but made it clear that there was no change in its counterterrorism posture, with Operation Ghazab Lil Haq continuing without interruption.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi, in his weekly news briefing, said Pakistan's participation in the talks being held in Ürümqi should not be construed as any shift in policy, particularly regarding ongoing security operations.

"There is no material change to ongoing Operation Ghazab Lil Haq that I mentioned last week," the spokesperson said, adding that security forces had carried out counterterrorism actions in recent days as well. "So, I believe the operation is on… there is no change in that operation due to any talks.

Andrabi confirmed that a Pakistani delegation is currently in Ürümqi as part of the Trilateral Counterterrorism Cooperation Mechanism, which includes China and Afghanistan. He described Pakistan's participation as consistent with its longstanding position of supporting "credible processes" aimed at eliminating militant sanctuaries and curbing cross-border terrorism emanating from Afghan soil.

"Our participation is a reiteration of our core concerns," he said, emphasizing that meaningful progress hinges on Afghanistan's actions. "The onus of real progress lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan."

The spokesperson said the talks are still underway and that details would become clearer once the delegation returns. "For now, I can only tell you that our delegation is there," he noted, adding that Pakistan has "never shied away from dialogue" and remains engaged with China on the issue.

He clarified that the Ürümqi engagement was being held at the working level, involving senior officials. However, he said he did not have full visibility on the exact composition of the Pakistani delegation.

Responding to a question about reported outreach by the Afghan Taliban, Andrabi said Pakistan had taken note of statements indicating intent from Kabul but stressed that past commitments had not been honored. He referred to assurances made by the Taliban in the 2021 Doha agreement, saying those commitments were not upheld.

"That intent has to be backed by concrete, verifiable assurances in written format that their territory would not be used against Pakistan," he said. "While we acknowledge these statements of intent, we await concrete, verifiable, written assurances."

On broader regional diplomacy, Andrabi said Pakistan's recently unveiled five-point peace initiative had received "appreciation from across the region and beyond," including from the United States.

He noted similarities between the Beijing initiative and outcomes of consultations held in Islamabad involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, describing them as complementary efforts aimed at ending conflicts and promoting sustainable peace.

Regarding possible participation of senior US officials in future talks in Islamabad, Andrabi said no details were available, reiterating that Pakistan's role remains that of a facilitator. "It is up to the relevant parties to determine the members of their delegations or the timings of these talks," he said.

He also dismissed suggestions that Pakistan was attempting to pressure Iran, calling such claims "not a valid observation." "Iran is a sovereign country… we are advocating dialogue and diplomacy, and our advocacy should not be misconstrued as applying any pressure," he said, adding that Islamabad's engagements with Tehran remain positive.

On speculation about a possible formal alliance emerging from consultations among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, Andrabi termed such assumptions premature. He said discussions were currently focused on enhancing cooperation among the four countries on issues of mutual interest.

Despite the complex regional environment, the spokesperson underscored Pakistan's continued commitment to diplomatic engagement. "Whilst challenges and obstacles could be there, we would continue our pursuit of facilitation and our advocacy for dialogue in complete earnestness," he said.

He rejected reports that the Iranian delegation was reluctant to come to Pakistan because of security concerns, saying "Islamabad remains safe."