Pakistan Calls on Afghan Authorities to Address Terrorist Sanctuaries: Foreign Office

Report by Syed Farzand Ali

Pakistan continues to engage in diplomatic efforts with Afghan authorities, urging them to eliminate terrorist sanctuaries within Afghanistan, the Foreign Office (FO) stated during a press briefing on Friday.

The FO Spokesperson emphasized that Pakistan has consistently raised this issue with both the international community and Afghan officials, calling for concrete measures to address the security threat. “The key obstacle in our bilateral progress remains the presence of terrorist sanctuaries in Afghanistan. We will persist in using all available diplomatic channels to resolve this matter,” he said.

Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to fostering friendly and cooperative relations with Afghanistan, the spokesperson highlighted the deep historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between the two nations.

Regarding border management issues, particularly at the Pakistan-Iran and Torkham borders, the FO clarified that such matters involve multiple agencies from both countries, including customs, immigration, and security. “There are occasional misunderstandings, but these do not indicate a breakdown in commercial interactions,” he added.

The spokesperson also addressed concerns about Afghanistan’s unilateral construction of a border post on Pakistani territory, urging Kabul to resolve such disputes through bilateral mechanisms like the Joint Coordination Committee instead of unilateral actions.

On Pakistan’s defense ties with the U.S., the spokesperson welcomed the continuation of the F-16 oversight program, calling it a routine part of the Pakistan-U.S. defense collaboration under the “end user agreement.” He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to maintaining strong and multi-dimensional relations with the U.S. and engaging with the new American administration.

Additionally, he noted that Pakistan and the UK recently held discussions on counterterrorism, exchanging insights on security, law enforcement, counter-financing of terrorism, and capacity-building efforts.