Crucial Doha talks set to begin today, Pakistan to seek written assurances from Taliban, says FO, Pakistan exercise
Pakistani soldiers stand vigil next to the new border fence along the border of Afghanistan’s Paktika province in Angoor Adda, South Waziristan. Photo: AFP)
ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime agreed on Friday to extend their temporary ceasefire that came into effect earlier this week following deadly border clashes, as the two sides prepare for crucial negotiations in Doha on Saturday aimed at defusing tensions.
Officials confirmed to The Express PK Press Club that the agenda of the Doha meeting would revolve around a single point: ensuring that terrorist groups, particularly the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are not allowed to use Afghan soil to launch attacks against Pakistan.
Unlike previous rounds, officials said this time Pakistan would want written assurances and a clear timetable, considering “tangible and verifiable” measures against the TTP and its Kabul regime affiliates.
“Nothing less, nothing more,” remarked a source, who added that Pakistan had given one more chance to diplomacy at the request of friendly countries. Qatar plays the role of mediator between the two parties.
The ceasefire was announced Wednesday after several days of heavy fighting along the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which left dozens dead on both sides. The clashes, centered around the Spin Boldak-Chaman and Torkham sectors, marked the most serious escalation between the two countries in recent years.
In his last official press briefing as Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Friday, Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan was “deeply concerned by the unwarranted aggression of the Afghan Taliban and affiliated terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil.”
He said Pakistan exercised its right of self-defense by repelling the assaults and inflicting heavy losses on Taliban forces and associated terrorist elements, while ensuring that civilian lives were not targeted.
“At the request of the Taliban regime and by mutual agreement, the two parties decided to implement a temporary ceasefire,” the spokesperson said. “During this period, sincere efforts are being made to find a positive solution through constructive dialogue.”
The spokesperson stressed that Pakistan “values dialogue and diplomacy”, but warned that Islamabad would take all possible measures to protect its territorial integrity and the lives of its people.
He also dismissed recent statements made by the acting Afghan foreign minister during his visit to India, calling them baseless and an attempt to divert attention from the presence of terrorist elements in Afghanistan.
“The continued presence of terrorist elements on Afghan soil and the freedom of activity they enjoy are well documented, including in the reports of the United Nations monitoring team,” he added.
Officials say the Doha talks will also test the Taliban’s willingness to act against TTP sanctuaries. “Pakistan expects concrete and verifiable actions against terrorist elements,” a senior official told The Express PK Press Club, adding that Islamabad had shared “credible evidence” of cross-border involvement through diplomatic channels.
The Ministry of External Affairs also expressed strong reservations over the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi last week, terming the reference to Jammu and Kashmir as part of India a “violation of UN Security Council resolutions”.
Despite heightened tensions, Pakistan reiterated its desire for a peaceful, stable and regionally connected Afghanistan, while urging the Taliban to respect commitments made under the Doha process and not allow its territory to be used against any country.
The Doha meeting, expected to be attended by senior representatives from both sides, is seen as a crucial opportunity to shore up the fragile ceasefire and prevent a new round of deadly border hostilities.
Observers, however, are skeptical of any major breakthroughs, given the Afghan Taliban’s past.
