Islamabad says Taliban regime portraying \u201cterrorist safe havens in Afghanistan as humanitarian issue\u201d
\n Islamabad
\nPakistan on Friday reiterated its stance of not engaging in talks with any terrorist group involved in attacks on its armed forces and civilians, expressing hope that Kabul would act against the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan.
\n\u201cThere has been an increase in terrorist incidents [in Pakistan] during the Afghan [Taliban] regime,\u201d FO spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said during a weekly media briefing.
\nAndrabi urged the Taliban regime to prevent its soil from being used for terrorism inside Pakistan.
\nThe FO spokesperson expressed gratitude to Turkiye and Qatar for making efforts to ease tension between the two countries.
\n\u201cA recent round of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban took place in Istanbul,\u201d he said, adding that Pakistan had approached the Afghan Taliban regime with a positive intent.
\nHowever, he lamented Kabul\u2019s response to Pakistan\u2019s initiative, saying that the Taliban regime was portraying \u201cterrorist safe havens in Afghanistan as a humanitarian issue\u201d.
\nThe peace negotiation between the two bordering nations collapsed without an agreement over what Islamabad called the Taliban delegation\u2019s \u201cillogical\u201d arguments; however, a ceasefire continues between the two neighbours.
\nThe dialogue, first mediated by Qatar and then by Turkiye, began last month after a week-long border clash, instigated by the Taliban forces.
\nPakistan eliminated over 200 Taliban fighters and their affiliated militants in retaliatory operations after they launched an unprovoked attack on multiple border posts of Pakistan\u2019s forces.
\nSecurity forces also conducted \u201cprecision strikes\u201d deep inside Afghanistan, including Kabul, and destroyed several terrorist hideouts.
\nMeanwhile, the FO spokesperson rubbished the Afghan Taliban\u2019s attempt to portray the cross-border terrorism as a humanitarian issue, saying the presence of terrorists and their safe havens in Afghanistan was \u201cabsolutely not a humanitarian issue\u201d.
\nAndrabi emphasised Pakistan\u2019s unified approach in eradicating terrorism, saying that any claims about differences within Pakistan on its Afghan policy were propaganda by elements within the Taliban regime.
\nThe FO spokesperson assailed Kabul for attempts to stoke Pashtun ethnic sentiment in Pakistan. \u201cA larger Pashtun population resides in Pakistan than in Afghanistan.\u201d
\nPakistan was determined to eliminate the scourge of terrorism, he said, adding that the nation stood firm with the armed forces in their fight against terrorists.
\nJordan\u2019s King Abdullah arrives tomorrow
\nDuring the briefing, the FO spokesperson announced that Jordan\u2019s King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein was scheduled to arrive in the country tomorrow (Saturday) for a two-day official visit.
\nKing Abdullah is arriving in Pakistan for a visit from November 15\u201316 at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad says Taliban regime portraying \u201cterrorist safe havens in Afghanistan as humanitarian issue\u201d Islamabad Pakistan on Friday reiterated its stance of not engaging in talks with any terrorist group involved in attacks on its armed forces and civilians, expressing hope that Kabul would act against the outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. \u201cThere has been an increase in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":511841,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-514527","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n