Parliament to decide on Gaza peace mission: FO | The Express Tribune

Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi has said the decision to send a peacekeeping force to Gaza would be made by Pakistan’s Parliament, clarifying that no such decision has been taken yet.

Rejecting Indian media reports alleging secret meetings between Pakistani intelligence officials and foreign agencies over financial matters, the spokesperson dismissed the claims as “fairy tales.” He clarified, “Pakistan has not held any meeting with any foreign intelligence agency, nor sought funds in exchange for troop deployment in Gaza. Indian media is known for its baseless and misleading reports.”

He reiterated that only Parliament has the authority to decide on sending any peacekeeping troops to Gaza, reaffirming that no such move is currently under consideration.

In a weekly media briefing on Thursday, he confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had arrived in Baku to attend the country’s Victory Day celebrations. The spokesperson also stated that talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban began in Istanbul on Wednesday, under the supervision and presence of international mediators.

According to the Foreign Office, the Pakistani delegation is being led by National Security Adviser Asim Malik, with the Additional Foreign Secretary also part of the team. The spokesperson noted that the delegation has shared “factual, evidence-based, and logical information” regarding the Khawarij militant network with the mediators. He added that Pakistan would refrain from making any comments until the talks conclude.

Commenting on recent border firing incidents at Chaman, the spokesperson denied the Afghan Taliban’s allegations, asserting that the firing had actually been initiated from the Afghan side, to which Pakistani security forces responded responsibly. He warned that such incidents could lead to border closures, adding that any decision to open or close the crossing would depend on the prevailing security situation.

Read: Marathon Istanbul talks seek to break deadlock

Meanwhile, President Asif Ali Zardari recently visited Qatar, where he raised concerns over India’s violations of the Indus Waters Treaty, calling them a threat to regional stability. During his visit, he also met with several international leaders.

In a related development, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar visited Türkiye at the invitation of his Turkish counterpart to attend a meeting of Muslim countries on the Gaza crisis. During the meeting, Dar condemned Israeli aggression and urged unhindered access for humanitarian aid to Palestinians, reaffirming Pakistan’s principled stance on the issue.

On the sidelines of the event, Dar held talks with the Turkish foreign minister, expressing satisfaction over the positive trajectory of Pakistan-Türkiye relations. Upon returning, he attended the Google Chrome Summit and also held a telephonic discussion with Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

The spokesperson further dismissed Indian media claims that Pakistan had barred Hindu pilgrims from entry, clarifying that 2,400 visas had been issued to Hindu pilgrims. However, a few applicants were denied entry due to incomplete documentation, and “once their papers are in order, visas will be granted,” he added.

Pak-Afghan border clashes

The current round follows weeks of shuttle diplomacy after border clashes between October 11 and 15, which brought relations to their lowest point since the Taliban seized power in 2021. Hostilities began when militants reportedly attacked Pakistan from Afghanistan on October 11, following Taliban allegations of Pakistani airstrikes into Afghan territory.

After the initial skirmish, multiple clashes occurred along the border, including strikes on camps in Afghanistan. A 48-hour ceasefire was agreed on October 15, paving the way for dialogue. During a brief exchange of fire at the Chaman-Spin Boldak crossing, two people, including a woman, were killed, testing the shaky truce.

Pakistan had pressed the Afghan Taliban to disassociate from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and take concrete action against anti-Pakistan elements operating from Afghan territory.

Islamabad has sought a clear decree from Kabul, explicitly committing to distance itself from the TTP. Mediators are reportedly working to achieve a balanced understanding, with potential areas of convergence including counterterrorism cooperation and border security protocols, though mistrust and Kabul’s ambiguous stance on the TTP continue to pose challenges.

Since the clashes, Pakistan and Afghan Taliban representatives have held two previous rounds of talks — first in Doha and then in Istanbul. While temporary ceasefires held, no final agreement has been reached.

After the second round, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar tweeted on October 29 that the talks “failed to bring about any workable solution,” adding that Pakistan would continue to protect its citizens from terrorism.

Mediators from Turkey and Qatar intervened, issuing a joint statement on October 31, saying that “further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided” during a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on November 6. Delegations arrived in Istanbul on Wednesday for the third round, which began yesterday, surviving the brief cross-border flare-up.

In an earlier briefing, the Foreign Office rejected remarks by the Afghan interim foreign minister during his visit to India, calling them an attempt to divert attention from terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil. The spokesperson reiterated that Pakistan’s border operations in October were defensive, targeting militant infrastructure only, and noted that the 48-hour ceasefire from October 15 had allowed space for dialogue.

The FO also criticised references to Jammu and Kashmir in the India–Afghanistan joint statement of October 10, calling them “a violation of UN Security Council resolutions and an affront to the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people.” The spokesperson reminded that Pakistan has hosted nearly four million Afghan refugees for decades, while reaffirming its vision for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.