Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan remained a priority in all interactions with the Kabul administration.
He also revealed that eight Pakistani nationals, including Asif Merchant and Muhammad Pehlwan, are currently detained in the United States on various criminal charges.
Speaking to the weekly press on Friday, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistani security forces continue to take action against terrorist groups operating within the country’s borders to protect its citizens.
“Cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan is a key issue that we constantly raise with the Afghan authorities. Protection of our state and citizens is Pakistan’s first responsibility,” he said.
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Khan stressed that Pakistan believes that Afghanistan must regain full control of its security and territorial integrity.
“Afghanistan should take decisive action against terrorist groups operating on its territory, in particular against the group known as Fitna al-Khawarij,” the spokesperson added.
He said the schedule for the Afghan foreign minister’s visit to Pakistan was not yet finalized, but both sides were working on the details.
Responding to a question on the Nobel Peace Prize, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan took the decision to nominate Trump based on his important and positive role in de-escalating tensions between Pakistan and India in May, leading to the ceasefire.
Read also: White House slams Nobel committee for snubbing Trump in Peace Prize decision
Responding to a question, Khan confirmed that eight Pakistani citizens, including Asif Merchant and Muhammad Pehlwan, are currently detained in the United States on different criminal charges.
“Muhammad Pehlwan has been indicted by US authorities on terrorism-related charges but has not yet been convicted. Once convicted, he will serve the remainder of his sentence in Pakistan. His travel documents are being prepared,” the spokesperson said.
Pehlwan was accused of transporting weapons from Iran to the Houthis in Yemen. He was one of four suspects arrested on January 11, 2024 as part of an operation carried out by American Navy Seals off the coast of Somalia, in the Arabian Sea.
He added that Asif Merchant’s case was also being heard in a US court.
Merchant was reportedly indicted in the United States for a foiled assassination attempt against US President Donald Trump.
According to a criminal complaint, the 46-year-old sought to recruit individuals in the United States to carry out the plot. The attempt was reportedly in retaliation for the US assassination of the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Qasem Soleimani, in 2020.
Merchant, who prosecutors say spent time in Iran before traveling to the United States, was charged with murder for hire in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. A federal judge ordered him detained July 16, according to court records.
