Dar urges Kabul to curb militancy ahead of Nov 6 talks
“Ishaq Dar told parliament he repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent cross-border attacks and expressed hope ahead of Nov 6 talks.”
Key points
- Ishaq Dar told parliament he repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent cross-border attacks and expressed hope ahead of Nov 6 talks.
- He tied current strains to post-2021 missteps but said Pakistan remains committed to combating militancy.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told the Senate he received six phone calls from Afghanistan's acting foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, and conveyed a single message: Afghan territory must not be used for attacks against Pakistan.
Dar linked the present tensions to missteps in early dealings with the Taliban following their 2021 takeover, noting Islamabad remains committed to fighting militancy and is hopeful the next round of talks on November 6 will make headway.
He dismissed unverified claims about government payments to religious scholars, and recapped recent diplomacy in Istanbul and Doha that sought to de-escalate the worst cross-border hostilities in years. Turkish mediators have said a ceasefire and a monitoring framework are on the table, with Qatar also facilitating.
Context provided in the Senate highlighted Pakistan's concerns over rising violence since 2021, the presence of terrorist groups on Afghan soil, and the need for verifiable guarantees. Dar underscored that Pakistan aims to pursue security operations at home while pressing Kabul to honour counterterrorism obligations.
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