- Pakistan repelled Taliban attacks in self-defense.
- Ceasefire applied at the request of the Taliban on October 15.
- FO rejects Afghan claims of internal terrorism problem.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan are engaged in a constructive dialogue aimed at achieving a peaceful resolution to the ongoing border tensions, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
During his weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan had informed Kabul several times about the presence of Fitna al-Khawarij in Afghanistan.
He expressed deep concern over the Taliban’s “provocative attacks” along the border between October 11 and 15, which Pakistan effectively repelled in self-defense.
The spokesperson said Taliban forces and the terrorist hideouts they used had suffered significant losses. “Our retaliatory action targeted terrorist elements, not civilians,” he said, adding that a 48-hour ceasefire was enforced from 6 p.m. on October 15 at the request of the Taliban.
Khan said the two countries were engaged in constructive talks for a peaceful resolution. Pakistan expects the Taliban government to take concrete measures against terrorist elements and ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorist purposes, in line with its commitments.
He added that Pakistan has hosted more than four million Afghan refugees over the past four decades and will continue to regulate the presence of foreigners on its soil in accordance with international standards and national laws.
“Pakistan wishes to see a peaceful, stable and prosperous Afghanistan,” Khan said, expressing hope that the Afghan people can one day live freely under a representative and inclusive government.
The spokesperson also expressed Pakistan’s serious reservations over the recent joint statement by India and Afghanistan, terming the references to Jammu and Kashmir as a blatant violation of UN resolutions and international law.
He further rejected the Acting Afghan Foreign Minister’s assertion that terrorism was an internal problem of Pakistan, noting that Pakistan had already shared details of active terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.
“Afghanistan cannot absolve itself of the responsibility to prevent its soil from being used for terrorist purposes,” Khan concluded. “Peace and stability are shared responsibilities.”
