ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has strongly rejected the statement by a Taliban spokesperson regarding Pakistan’s counterterrorism concerns, terming them “misleading” and contrary to ground realities.
The officials in Islamabad focused on the fact that Pakistan has consistently respected Afghanistan’s sovereignty and sought peace in the region, but warned that allowing cross-border terrorist groups to operate against Pakistan is “utterly unacceptable.”
Furthermore, the statement came in response to claims by the Taliban that Pakistan’s security concerns date back to 2003.
In addition, officials said such assertions ignore the real and present challenge: the use of Afghan territory by groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and others to launch attacks on Pakistani civilians and security forces.
“There has been no Pakistani military interference or breach of confidence,” officials noted, adding that the core issue lies in Afghanistan’s failure to take decisive action against terrorist groups sheltering on its soil. According to Islamabad, this failure has strained bilateral ties and undermined regional stability.
Moreover, the officials from the Pakistan side dismissed the Taliban’s characterization of the TTP as an “internal matter” for Afghanistan, stressing that cross-border militancy directly threatens Pakistan’s national security.
Pakistan reasserted that its approach has consistently been guided by the principles of mutual respect and non-interference.
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However, officials made it clear that Pakistan cannot accept a situation where terrorist organizations exploit Afghan soil to destabilize its security environment.
