- Deputy PM addresses OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan, calls for OIC roadmap on Afghanistan
- Raises alarm over more than two dozen terror outfits operating from Afghan soil, posing grave regional threat
- Presents six-point plan, including humanitarian aid without political conditions, economy, dialogue, women’s rights, refugees, poppy farmers
NEW YORK: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday voiced Pakistan’s serious concerns over the presence of more than two dozen terrorist groups operating from Afghan soil, urging the interim Afghan authorities to take “concrete and verifiable” measures to prevent cross-border terrorism, particularly against Pakistan.
Addressing the inaugural meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan, Dar cited groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), Majeed Brigade and East Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM), saying they were actively collaborating with Al-Qaeda and posed a grave threat to regional and international peace and security, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Office (FO) on Wednesday.
Statement by the Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister at the Inaugural Meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan
🔗⬇️https://t.co/ALHjhCh8RE pic.twitter.com/9Sw5frmF5V— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 24, 2025
“Our law enforcement officials and civilians continue to make enormous sacrifices due to terrorism emanating from Afghanistan. Earlier this month, 12 Pakistani soldiers were martyred in our bordering regions while combating TTP infiltrators,” the FO quoted the FM as saying to the meeting.
The FO statement said, “The deputy prime minister warned that terrorist groups were also exploiting digital platforms and social media for propaganda and incitement to violence, stressing, “This cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.”
Dar proposed establishing a working group of experts from OIC contact group members to draw up a practical roadmap with reciprocal steps to address the full spectrum of challenges in Afghanistan.
Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 addressed the first meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan, reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to peace, stability & prosperity in the brotherly country.
He stressed that Afghanistan cannot… pic.twitter.com/1jcfcB0bkX
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) September 24, 2025
He reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to supporting efforts for a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, but underscored that progress required “mutual respect, sincerity and the political will by the Taliban authorities to help us help themselves.”
“No country desires to see normalcy and stability return to Afghanistan more than Pakistan. Our destinies are intertwined and it is imperative to secure an Afghanistan that is at peace with itself and its neighbours,” he said.
Dar also expressed condolences over last month’s earthquake in Afghanistan, recalling that Pakistan had dispatched 105 tons of aid as a gesture of solidarity.
The deputy prime minister underlined that Afghanistan faced multiple crises, including sanctions, terrorism, narcotics, unemployment, poverty, human rights concerns, and a dysfunctional banking system, while its political dispensation remained unrecognised even after four years in power.
“A political stalemate and Afghanistan’s isolation cannot continue indefinitely. As OIC members, regional partners and neighbours, we must take initiatives to help Afghanistan break out of this cycle,” he urged.
Outlining a six-point approach, Dar said: The OIC should advocate adequate humanitarian funding by donors without political conditions.
Stabilise the Afghan economy and banking system to enable trade, investment, and regional connectivity projects.
Support dialogue with the Taliban at regional and multilateral levels to encourage compliance with international obligations.
Back UN-led efforts for alternate livelihoods for ex-poppy farmers to promote sustainable agriculture.
Urge the Taliban to lift restrictions on women and girls, which he termed “unjustified and contrary to Islamic principles.”
Encourage conditions for the dignified return of Afghan refugees, with the international community sharing the burden of resettlement.
He stressed that with peace gradually returning to Afghanistan, the OIC must play a proactive role in helping the country integrate into the regional and global fold for lasting stability, teh FO statement added.
