Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi on Friday said that the Afghan Taliban government in Kabul had acknowledged the presence of the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other terrorist organisations in its territory.
The talks were scheduled as Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to continue a ceasefire between the two countries and following a rapid deterioration of ties and a brief conflict along their shared border earlier this month.
Fielding questions after delivering a weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said: “The Afghan Taliban government has acknowledged the presence of TTP and other terrorist organisations.
When asked about opening the Torkham border crossing – a major border crossing between the Pakistani city of Torkham and Afghanistan – the spokesperson said he had “no information on the matter” and referred the question to the interior ministry.
During the briefing, he said that Pakistan hoped for a “positive outcome” of the next round of talks with the Afghan Taliban set to begin on November 6.
“Pakistan will continue to remain engaged in the mediation process and hopes for a positive outcome for the November 6 talks,” he said during a weekly FO briefing.
Andrabi recalled during the briefing that the second round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime in the presence of mediators concluded in Istanbul the other evening.
“Pakistan participated in the Istanbul talks, which started on October 25, in a good spirit and with a positive intention,” he added. The FO spokesperson said the talks were initially scheduled for two days. “However, in an effort to reach an amicable agreement with the Taliban regime, the Pakistan side, in earnest, continued the talks for four days.
“Pakistan positively engaged with the Taliban regime without compromising on its clearly stated position that Afghanistan soil should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.” He asserted that Pakistan did not seek further escalation of hostilities but “expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honour its commitment to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking concrete and verifiable actions against terrorist entities, including Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan”.
Andrabi said that Pakistan had been urging the Afghan Taliban for the past four years to take “decisive and effective measures” against terrorist outfits present on Afghanistan soil. “We repeatedly shared credible information about the presence of top leadership of Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan on Afghan soil with the Taliban regime. However, despite repeated assurances in the past, there has been a surge in terrorist attacks in Pakistan from Afghanistan.”
He said the “consistent and total disregard” of Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by the Afghan Taliban over the last four years and the “unprovoked aggression against Pakistan with the support of Fitna-al-Khawarij on Oct 11 and 12 and later Oct 14 and 15 led to violent exchanges across the international border”.
“Pakistan decisively responded to Afghan provocation aimed at destabilising the border area, facilitating terrorism, and furthering the Fitna-al-Khawarij’s nefarious designs”.
Pakistan would respond resolutely if provocations continue in the future, he further warned.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who had been particularly directing strong criticism towards Afghanistan since the beginning of border hostilities earlier this month, also confirmed while speaking to the media that an interim agreement had been reached between the two countries with the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. “Another round of negotiations will be held on November 6,” he said.
Asif asserted that Pakistan’s main demand continued to be the “stopping of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil”.
He added that “there is a ray of hope, but not because of Afghanistan and only so because of Qatar and Turkiye’s influence” over Kabul. The defence minister further said, “There have been some ceasefire violations from Afghanistan”, and also emphasised that “until terrorism stops, the ceasefire can not be effective.”