Islamabad: Pakistan has reiterated that any state level dialogue or formal coordination mechanism with Afghanistan remains strictly contingent on concrete and verifiable measures to eliminate cross-border terrorism and destroy terrorist safe havens.
Speaking at a weekly media briefing on Thursday, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi stated that while Islamabad notes proposals for bilateral engagement, mere verbal assurances from Kabul are insufficient to resolve persistent security concerns.
The response follows a proposal from Afghan interim Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, who suggested establishing dedicated bilateral committees to facilitate institutional communication, coordinate border management, and address trade, transit, and security issues.
Responding to the offer, Andrabi stated that Pakistan remains open to state to state dialogue, but emphasised that the sustainability of any framework depends entirely on practical outcomes. He stressed that the Afghan authorities must fulfill their international obligations, including commitments under the Doha framework, by ensuring that Afghan territory is not used for carrying out terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised serious concerns regarding the availability of safe havens for hostile militant groups operating from Afghan soil. The spokesperson specifically named the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) as key proxy groups whose activities from across the border continue to pose severe threats to national security.
Islamabad has consistently offered structured dialogue to Kabul, conditioned on the Afghan interim administration demonstrating visible and verifiable action to disarm, dismantle, and restrain these militant groups from utilizing cross-border sanctuaries.
The Foreign Office affirmed that Pakistan stands ready for institutional coordination and effective border management, provided these mechanisms yield measurable results on the ground. Mr Andrabi added that if Kabul permits hostile entities to operate freely or at the behest of third parties to destabilize Pakistan, Islamabad will continue to view and treat such elements as hostile proxies
