Pakistan has warned that terrorism originating from Afghan territory poses a serious threat to its security and that of neighboring countries, saying attacks launched from Afghanistan have increased, and militant groups have gained greater room to operate.
Speaking at a press briefing, the Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan remained firmly committed to political dialogue, diplomacy and de-escalation, while stressing that terrorism remained a fundamental security concern.
The spokesperson said Pakistan had provided the Afghan government accurate information about locations where militant groups were operating in Afghanistan.
The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and other militant organizations had established safe havens in Kabul and other parts of Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Pakistan’s concerns about terrorism from Afghan territory had been raised in regional diplomatic forums, including the Moscow Format.
Pakistan’s concerns were reflected in a joint statement issued after an earlier meeting, the spokesperson said. However, the Afghan Taliban had not agreed to retain the same language in this year’s discussions.
The absence of a joint declaration should not undermine the importance of regional dialogue, the spokesperson added, emphasizing that terrorism was not merely a matter of words for Pakistan but a core national security issue.
Pakistan’s participation in the next Moscow Format meeting had yet to be decided, and it was too early to comment on the matter.
The country could continue to take part in regional consultations and negotiations on Afghanistan, the spokesperson said.
Pakistan also rejected allegations by the Afghan foreign minister that it supported Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), describing the claims as baseless. Islamabad also denied allegations relating to operations in Nuristan.
Turning to India, the Foreign Office spokesperson said the challenges Pakistan faced on its eastern border were not new and had existed since the country’s independence in 1947.
Pakistan had fought four wars since independence, the spokesperson said, adding that including the events of 2025 would make it five.
The spokesperson said Pakistan remained prepared to defend its sovereignty and rights, asserting that India had failed to defeat Pakistan and would never succeed in doing so.
