Kuwait city: Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Friday said it will remain engaged in the mediation process with the Taliban after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to continue the ceasefire, following the latest round of talks in Istanbul.
According to Kuwait News Agency, during the weekly media briefing at the Pakistan Foreign Office, spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tahir Hussain Andrabi, stated that Pakistan would continue to engage in the mediation process and hopes for a positive outcome for the next round of talks scheduled for November sixth. He emphasized that the government and the Armed Forces of Pakistan are prepared to take necessary measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and ensure the safety of its people.
Andrabi mentioned that Pakistan is engaging with the Taliban regime without compromising its position that Afghan soil should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan. He noted that Pakistan does not seek further escalation but expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honor its commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s security concerns by taking tangible actions against terrorist entities.
The spokesperson highlighted that for the past four years, Pakistan has been urging the Taliban regime to take effective measures against terrorist outfits present on Afghan soil. He revealed that Pakistan has repeatedly shared credible information about the presence of top militant leaders on Afghan soil with the Taliban regime. Despite assurances in the past, there has been a rise in terrorist attacks in Pakistan from Afghanistan.
Andrabi stated that Pakistan has responded decisively to Afghan provocations aimed at destabilizing the border area and facilitating terrorism. He warned that Pakistan would respond resolutely if such provocations continue in the future. He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for peace, a stable region, and an integrated and prosperous Afghanistan, which maintains peace within its borders and with its neighbors.
He expressed appreciation for the constructive roles of Qatar and Turkiye in making efforts for a peaceful resolution of the issue. Earlier, a joint statement released by Turkiye confirmed that further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided in a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November sixth. The statement also mentioned that all parties have agreed to implement a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure peace and impose penalties on any violating party.
Pakistan’s Minister for Defense, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, urged Afghanistan to play its role in completely stopping infiltration from Afghan soil. In a statement to the media after the talks, Asif emphasized that it is up to the Afghan regime to curtail support, whether collective or from certain elements within their ranks.