Web Desk(National Times)- The information ministry on Saturday rebuked the Afghan Taliban\u2019s stance on the ongoing conflict between the two countries, assailing its \u201cpersistent refusal to address terrorism\u201d emanating from Afghanistan\u2019s soil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The statement came in response to remarks made by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who blamed Islamabad\u2019s \u201cwrong policies\u201d for preventing a resolution to the conflict and insisted Kabul was not the cause of counterterrorism issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPakistan does not want to resolve the conflict with Afghanistan through talks,\u201d Mujahid told Hurriyat Radio, claiming that Islamabad \u201clacks the necessary readiness for a peaceful resolution of differences\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In its statement, the information ministry said the Afghan spokesman\u2019s remarks expose the \u201cregime\u2019s deeply misguided approach and unwillingness to confront the root cause of deteriorating relations with Pakistan\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Taliban leadership continues to blame Islamabad\u2019s policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations: its persistent failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,\u201d it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ministry reiterated Pakistan\u2019s \u201cunequivocal\u201d position: terrorism is a red line and the security of its citizens is non-negotiable.*<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Afghan Taliban regime must understand that Pakistan will not tolerate terrorist sanctuaries across its borders that impact its security nor allow its people to remain targets of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan,\u201d it stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Islamabad reiterated that the \u201cTaliban regime\u2019s persistent refusal to address terrorism remains the principal obstacle to normal relations\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShifting blame, making hollow assurances and questioning Pakistan\u2019s policies will neither resolve the crisis nor absolve Kabul of its responsibilities. The Afghan Taliban leadership must understand that Pakistan\u2019s security will not be held hostage to Afghan Taliban\u2019s inaction, evasions or misplaced priorities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The information ministry affirmed that Pakistan reserved the right to \u201ctake all necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to eliminate threats to its national security, wherever they originate\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It urged Kabul to recognise that the responsibility for addressing these threats \u201crests squarely with the Afghan Taliban regime\u201d. \u201cPakistan\u2019s resolve to protect its people must never be mistaken for weakness,\u201d it declared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban administration in Kabul to dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil, particularly those linked to the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), that are used for attacks in Pakistan. Officials say those appeals have gone unheeded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Multiple rounds of talks between the two sides last year, facilitated by Qatar and Turkiye, failed to bring about any workable solution, with the Pakistani government saying the Taliban officials gave no assurances on the key issues. Efforts this year made with China\u2019s involvement also resulted in no breakthrough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
September witnessed another bout of conflict between the two neighbours, with Pakistan carrying out calibrated airstrikes in the border region in response to terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was followed by drone incursions from across the border, which Islamabad said were shot down, and two further rounds of retaliatory airstrikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those skirmishes continued in October, with Pakistani security forces responding to unprovoked fire from the Afghan side along the border in Kurram and Lower South Waziristan\u2019s Angoor Adda, according to security sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Tuesday, Afghan security forces opened unprovoked fire on border posts and residential areas in the Angoor Adda border area, which claimed the life of one local and injured a family of five.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Web Desk(National Times)- The information ministry on Saturday rebuked the Afghan Taliban\u2019s stance on the ongoing conflict between the two countries, assailing its \u201cpersistent refusal to address terrorism\u201d emanating from Afghanistan\u2019s soil. The statement came in response to remarks made by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who blamed Islamabad\u2019s \u201cwrong policies\u201d for preventing a resolution […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":135750,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-135749","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest_news","entry"],"yoast_head":"\n