Islamabad has said that terrorism emanating from Afghan soil remains the only bilateral dispute between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as it renewed its demand for concrete and verifiable action by Kabul against militant groups operating across the border.
Addressing a weekly press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan does not seek hostility with Afghanistan but cannot ignore the continuing threat posed by terrorist groups based there.
“We do not have any bilateral dispute with Afghanistan except this one issue. Terrorism emanating from Afghanistan is a major issue,” he said, adding that Islamabad needs “concrete, verifiable and written assurances” that Afghan territory will not be used against Pakistan.
The spokesperson reiterated Pakistan’s demand that the Afghan Taliban provide written guarantees that their soil will not be used by Fitna-al-Khawarij, the term used by the state for the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
He said Pakistan’s position would remain unchanged until such commitments are given and implemented.
Andrabi said that if the terrorism issue is resolved, Afghanistan has immense potential to become a hub for regional connectivity and economic cooperation.
“Such commitments are in the interest of Afghanistan itself and could lead to improvement in all bilateral relations,” he added.
Tensions between the two neighbors have remained high over Pakistan’s repeated assertions that Afghan soil is being used for cross-border attacks.
Following deadly attacks on its security forces, Pakistan carried out cross-border strikes in Afghanistan in October last year, including operations targeting Gul Bahadur group camps.
Although talks were later held with mediation from Qatar and Turkey, no breakthrough was achieved.
Earlier this month, the military spokesperson described the Afghan Taliban as the “mother organization” sheltering such groups since 2021.
The FO also said Pakistan would continue engaging Kabul through the Pakistan-China-Afghanistan trilateral dialogue, but stressed that progress depends on verifiable Afghan action against terrorism.
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