Daily Times

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif attended the Quadrilateral Group meeting of Pakistan, China, Iran and Russia to discuss the situation in Afghanistan, with participants expressing concern over the emerging threat of militancy from the post-war country, said an official statement on Saturday.

The group was formed after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 to coordinate efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and address security, migration and economic challenges in the region. Its key focus is promoting regional peace, stability and connectivity by involving Afghanistan.

Last year, the Quadrilateral Group held a meeting in Uzbekistan, while the latest gathering of the four countries took place on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly session in New York.

“The participants of the meeting expressed concern over the security challenges emanating from the territory of Afghanistan, particularly the terrorism threat and called on the Afghan interim government to fight terrorism and eliminate all terrorist groups and prevent Afghan territory from being used against its neighbors, the region and beyond,” the statement said.

“The meeting also emphasized the importance of engagement with Afghanistan and to continue close coordination between the four countries to strengthen regional efforts for the normalization of situation in Afghanistan and addressing its various challenges in a comprehensive manner,” it added.

Among the four regional states, Pakistan has voiced the most concern over the rise in militant violence, which it attributes to armed factions reportedly operating from Afghanistan.

Last year, officials in Islamabad accused the administration in Kabul of “facilitating” armed groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), before initiating a deportation drive against Afghan immigrants, leading to the expulsion of over 700,000 individuals.

Afghan authorities deny any involvement in Pakistan’s security issues and have opposed Pakistan’s decision to expel its citizens. The TTP has also targeted Chinese nationals working on energy and infrastructure projects in Pakistan.

In March this year, Russia reported a major militant attack near Moscow, in which operatives associated with Daesh’s Khorasan chapter, based in Afghanistan, killed 145 people and injured over 550. Iran has similarly raised concerns about security and diplomatic challenges under the Afghan Taliban administration in the past.