- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Nov 09 (APP): Pakistan remained committed to resolution of bilateral differences with Afghanistan through dialogue, however, Pakistan’s core concern of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan needs to be addressed first and foremost, said Foreign Office Spokesperson on Sunday.
In a statement, he said, “Pakistan’s Armed Forces and its people are well determined to eliminate the menace of terrorism from its soil and take action against its supporters, abettors and financiers”.
Responding to different media queries regarding the Pakistan talks with the Afghan Taliban Regime held in Istanbul on 6th November 2025, the Spokesperson said, “The Third Round of Pakistan-Afghanistan talks, mediated by the brotherly states of Turkiye and Qatar concluded at Istanbul on 7 November 2025.”
“Pakistan deeply appreciates the sincere efforts made by brotherly Turkiye and Qatar to mediate the difference between Pakistan and Afghanistan on the core issue of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil against Pakistan,” he added.
He said, “For the past four years, since the Taliban regime came to power in Afghanistan, there has been sharp surge in terrorist attacks emanating from Afghan soil on Pakistan. Throughout these years, Pakistan, despite suffering military and civilian causalities, exercised maximum restraint and did not retaliate.”
Pakistan’s expectation was that with passage of time, Taliban regime would be able to control these attacks and take concrete actions against the TTP/FaK elements present on Afghan soil, he continued.
During these years, he said Pakistan also tried to positively engage with Afghanistan by offering bilateral trade concessions and humanitarian assistance. Pakistan’s intention has always been to constructively engage with Afghanistan so as to enable it to become a stable, peaceful and prosperous country that is at peace within and with its neighbors,” he stressed.
“However, despite all these positive gestures by Pakistan in terms of trade, humanitarian assistance, educational and medical visas facilitation, and efforts at international forums to encourage the international community to engage with Taliban regime in the interest of regional peace and stability, and for the socio-economic development of Afghanistan and its people, the response from the Taliban regime has only been hollow promises and inaction,” he added.
He said, “Instead of acting upon the core expectation from Pakistan i.e. not to allow Afghan territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan, the Taliban regime has always tried to shy away from taking concrete and verifiable actions. Instead, it has tried to confuse the main issue with other relatively irrelevant and hypothetical issues. By confusing the main issue of terrorism, it keeps trying to develop a narrative which absolves Taliban regime of its commitments and responsibilities towards international community and its own people.”
“Pakistan’s October 2025 response to the consistent attacks emanating from Afghanistan was a manifestation of the will and determination that Pakistan will not leave any stone unturned to safeguard its territory and its people,” he noted.
He said, “TTP/FaK and BLA/FaH are declared enemies of the State of Pakistan and its people. Anyone harboring, abetting or financing them is not considered a friend and well-wisher of Pakistan and its people. Pakistan is determined to take every possible action to safeguard its interests and its people.”
“At the same time, Pakistan is also a strong proponent of peace and diplomacy. It has always advocated that use of force is the option of very last resort. In the same spirit of giving peace and diplomacy every possible chance, and adhering to the sincere advice of brotherly countries of Turkiye and Qatar, Pakistan agreed to engage in Pak-Afghan peace talks mediated by sincere friends,” he observed.
The Spokesperson said, “At the first round of these talks in Doha, an understanding was reached with Afghanistan on certain principles of cooperation and responsibility. Accordingly, Pakistan agreed to the temporary ceasefire.”
“The second round at Istanbul was meant to devise an implementation mechanism for the measures agreed to by both the sides in the first round at Doha. However, the Taliban regime representatives avoided taking any measures on ground and tried to back out of the commitments they had undertaken at the first round. They also tried to vitiate the environment through accusatory and provocative media allegations and statements. Pakistan side stayed firm on its core demand of concrete and verifiable actions against the terrorist elements present in Afghanistan and establishment of an effective monitoring mechanism to curb their activities,” he added.
He said, “At the third round, Pakistan again engaged with a constructive approach to focus on establishment of an effective monitoring mechanism. However, the Afghan side tried to dilute the focus on the core issue of terrorism and expand the scope of engagement by bringing in hypothetical allegations and unfounded claims.”
“Anyone following the talks held under the mediation of brotherly countries of Turkiye and Qatar, could easily discern that the Taliban regime was only interested in prolonging the temporary ceasefire, but without taking concrete and verifiable actions against the TTP/FaK and BLA/FaH elements present on Afghan soil. Instead of finding solutions to address Pakistan’s core concern, Afghan regime used the opportunity to malign Pakistan through hypothetical accusations and jingoistic rhetoric. It prolonged discussions and engaged in futile arguments to stonewall the efforts at reaching any concrete understanding,” he added.
He said, “At the same time, Taliban regime is constantly trying to misrepresent the issue of Pakistani terrorists hiding in Afghanistan as a humanitarian issue. In the aftermath of Pakistan’s Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2015, terrorists belonging to the so-called TTP/FaK fled to Afghanistan. They abetted Afghan Taliban in their fight against the ISAF and Afghan Government of the time. These terrorists and their families are now being harboured by Taliban regime as a payback for their allegiance to Afghan Taliban. The same terrorists have established training camps in Afghanistan to launch terrorist activities in Pakistan.”
He said Pakistan had demanded the Taliban regime to hand over these terrorists to Pakistan.
“The Taliban regime has repeatedly refused to do so, citing lack of control. More than being a matter of capability, it has become a matter of intent of Taliban regime. Empty hopes and hollow promises rendered by Taliban regime so far have already outlived their efficacy. Definite and concrete actions have to be taken to safeguard the interests and lives of the people of Pakistan,” he explained.
He said, “Taliban regime is also trying to portray the TTP/FaK and BLA/FaH elements as refugees in Afghanistan. This is not a humanitarian or a refugees issue, but a ploy to frame terrorists as refugees.”
“Pakistan is ready to receive any Pakistani living in Afghanistan and their families, provided they are handed over at the border crossings of Torkham or Chaman and not hurled across the border, fully equipped with sophisticated weapons and equipment,” he said adding, “Pakistan has never eschewed dialogue with any Government in Kabul. However, Pakistan would not hold dialogue with any terrorist group, be it TTP/FaK or BLA/FaH.”
“Among Afghan Taliban, there are people who do not want a confrontation with Pakistan. But there is a strong lobby, with monetary support from foreign actors that has been tasked to stoke tensions. In search for legitimacy and to unite their fractious Government, certain elements in Taliban regime, anti-Pakistan terrorist elements and their abettors have found raising the bogey of Pakistan quite useful. These elements have engaged in abuses and outrageous allegations against Pakistan. By doing so, they are fast eroding whatever goodwill they had within Pakistan,” he added.
He said, “Some elements in Taliban regime also try to propagate that there is some disagreement within Pakistan over Afghan policy. Irrespective of this misleading propaganda, there is absolute clarity among the people of Pakistan that the ordinary people of Pakistan are the biggest victims of the terrorist activities by elements hiding in Afghanistan and their abettors. The Armed Forces of Pakistan are making scarifies to safeguard the lives and properties of the people of Pakistan. Therefore, the entire Pakistani nation is with its Armed Forces to safeguard the interests of Pakistan and lives of the people of Pakistan.”
The Spokesperson said, “Pakistan is also fully cognizant and capable of dealing with all its internal problems. As part of its efforts to address all its challenges, Pakistan has repeatedly asked the Taliban regime to desist from their well-documented support to the terrorists attacking Pakistan.”
“With evidence-based and well documented sharp rise in terrorism emanating from Afghanistan into Pakistan after August 2021, the Taliban regime can neither out rightly deny this reality nor absolve itself of its responsibility.”
He said, “Similarly, there is an attempt by elements in Taliban regime to instigate Pashtoon nationalism in Pakistan. It is a historical fact that Pashtoons in Pakistan are a vibrant part of the society and the state, holding leadership positions across the spectrum of polity and bureaucracy. More number of Pashtoons live in Pakistan than in Afghanistan. Therefore, instead of instigating Pashtoonism in Pakistan, it would be wise for Taliban regime to look into its own credentials of inclusivity of all segments of its population in its governance structures.”
He said, “While Afghan Taliban declare terrorism as Pakistan’s internal issue, they fail to mention that there are people in Afghanistan who have issued fatwas, legitimizing terrorist attacks against Pakistan. Moreover, terrorist groups operating inside Pakistan now comprise large number of Afghan nationals.
“Mandated by the Parliament and the Constitution of Pakistan, the Armed Forces of Pakistan have rendered countless sacrifices in the war against terror and shall continue to do so, with full support of the people of Pakistan,” he concluded.