- Tarar says the Taliban regime is fractured and cannot blame Pakistan.
- A common framework for involving third parties, notes the minister.
- The next round of Pak-Afghan talks will begin on November 6.
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Sunday that it was now up to Kabul to act against militants using Afghan soil to launch attacks in Pakistan, following the establishment of a joint monitoring and verification mechanism with the participation of third parties.
His remarks came after the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a joint statement saying Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to maintain the ceasefire and decided to establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure peace and penalize any violators.
This agreement was reached during the recent talks held in Istanbul from October 25 to 30 under the mediation of Turkey and Qatar, concluded by the two countries pledging to continue their cooperation for lasting peace and stability in the region.
Speaking on PK Press Club News’ “Naya Pakistan” program, Tarar commended Turkey and Qatar for their mediation in the dialogue and reaffirmed that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership are “on the same page” with full unity of thought and action.
He reiterated that Pakistan remains firm on its principled demands, including ending terrorism, preventing cross-border attacks and respecting the sanctity of borders, adding that Afghan territory should not be used for aggression against Pakistan.
Tarar lambasted the “propaganda war” waged by the Afghan Taliban regime, describing it as a fractured administration that “does not control the whole of Afghanistan” and therefore cannot accuse Pakistan of creating instability.
The minister said it would be up to Kabul to take action against Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan operating from its territory.
Regarding the common framework, he said that finer operational details will be settled during the next round of talks between senior officials from both sides in Istanbul on November 6.
“This arrangement removes any justification for the Taliban administration to avoid taking action against the militants,” he stressed, adding that they would be punished if they did not act.
He added that the new framework would give Islamabad an additional platform to present evidence and intelligence regarding violations, thereby strengthening Pakistan’s diplomatic and security posture.
To a question regarding Afghanistan’s claim that Pakistan had declined Kabul’s offer to hand over terrorism suspects, Tarar wondered why the Taliban regime was distorting facts and complicating the situation following the talks.
He said Islamabad had earlier demanded that Kabul control or arrest any terrorists posing a threat to Pakistan. He added that Islamabad immediately proposed that they be handed over through designated border posts, in line with its long-standing position.
Islamabad-Kabul tensions
Pakistan has been grappling with an increase in terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban regime took power in 2021.
The government in Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban regime to rein in terrorist groups responsible for countless attacks in Pakistan.
However, the Taliban regime has remained largely indifferent to Pakistan’s demands and has provided sanctuary to multiple terrorist groups targeting security forces and civilians.
Instead of addressing Pakistan’s concerns about cross-border terrorism, the Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing along the border on October 12.
Pakistani armed forces responded quickly, killing more than 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants; however, as many as 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred in the border clashes.
Security forces also carried out strikes in Afghanistan, including in Kabul, destroying terrorist hideouts in the country.
Hostilities between the forces of the two countries ceased after Pakistan accepted the Taliban regime’s request for a temporary ceasefire on October 17.
Delegations from the two countries then met for Qatar-mediated talks in Doha, where they agreed to a ceasefire agreement.
Turkey then hosted the second round of negotiations in Istanbul, which began on October 25 and continued until October 31.
The two parties will meet again in the next round scheduled for November 6.
