Amid the heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan held the first round of talks mediated by Qatar in Doha, diplomatic sources said on Saturday.
They said the next round of Pak-Afghan talks – focusing on cross-border infiltration by militant groups based in Afghanistan – will be held in Doha tomorrow morning.
The insiders said that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif led the Pakistani delegation, while his Afghan counterpart Mullah Yaqoob spearheaded the country’s delegation.
Furthermore, sources said senior security officials accompanied the defence minister to support the negotiations. Meanwhile, the Afghan intelligence chief is also part of the Afghan delegation.
Pakistan told the Afghan delegation that the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan was “unacceptable”, sources added.
Earlier, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed a high-level delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif was in Doha to hold talks with representatives of the Afghan Taliban.
The foreign ministry said that the talks will primarily focus on “immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan” and on restoring “peace and stability along the Pak-Afghan border.”
“Pakistan does not seek escalation, urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honour their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable action against terrorist entities, including the FAK/TTP and FAH/BLA,” the Foreign Office posted on X.
The ministry also appreciated the mediation efforts of Qatar and hopes these discussions contribute to peace and stability in the region.
Earlier, Zabiullah Mujahid, the spokesperson for the Taliban government, had also confirmed that a high-level delegation from Afghanistan left for peace talks with Pakistan on Saturday in Doha.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Saturday confirmed that Pakistan last night, conducted “precision strikes” on verified camps of the proscribed Gul Bahadur group in the border areas of North and South Waziristan districts.
“In these precision strikes, [a] minimum [of] 60-70 Kharjis [terrorists] and their leadership have been sent to hell based on confirmed intelligence reports,” the federal minister wrote on X.
The two neighbouring nations are witnessing heightened tensions amid the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghanistan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.
The Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alias Fitna al-Khawarij, resorted to an unprovoked attack on Pakistan on October 12.
The Pakistan Armed Forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.
Furthermore, the security forces also conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and the capital Kabul, successfully destroying multiple strongholds in response to recent aggression.
A temporary truce between the neighbours – which Pakistan agreed to at the request of Afghanistan – on October 15 paused days of fierce fighting that killed dozens and wounded hundreds.
However, Tarar – in today’s post – noted that during the 48-hour ceasefire, militants affiliated with the Khawarij group and operating from Afghanistan attempted multiple terrorist attacks inside Pakistan.
He said all such attempts were effectively thwarted by the country’s security forces.
Meanwhile, he said, the security forces responded effectively, eliminating over 100 militants affiliated with the Khawarij group.
The information minister stated that militants from the ex-Gul Bahadur faction of the Khawarij group carried out a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) attack in North Waziristan. “The attack resulted in the martyrdom of a soldier and multiple civilians, while several others were injured,” he added.
He also refuted allegations of civilian casualties as “baseless”, noting that they appear to be part of a deliberate effort to garner sympathy for terrorist groups operating from within Afghanistan.
Minister Tarar further said that Pakistan firmly believes the resolution to the complex challenge of Indian-sponsored terrorism originating from Afghan territory lies in “constructive dialogue and effective measures by Afghan authorities to control non-state actors.”
“However, Pakistan reserves the right to protect its territorial integrity and the lives of its citizens, and it will not permit terrorists operating from Afghan soil to act with impunity,” he concluded.
The two neighbouring nations are witnessing heightened tensions amid the Afghan Taliban regime’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups, operating from Afghanistan soil, in the backdrop of rising terror attacks in Pakistan.
The Taliban forces and India-backed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), alias Fitna al-Khawarij, resorted to an unprovoked attack on Pakistan on October 12.
The Pakistan Armed Forces gave a befitting response to the aggression, killing over 200 Afghan Taliban and affiliated militants in a self-defence action. The military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said that 23 soldiers embraced martyrdom in the clashes with the Taliban forces and the terrorists.
Furthermore, the security forces also conducted “precision strikes” in Afghanistan’s Kandahar province and the capital Kabul, successfully destroying multiple strongholds in response to recent aggression.