Pakistan says talks with Afghanistan do not alter counterterrorism policy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday said its participation in ongoing talks with Afghanistan under a trilateral mechanism that also includes China does not signal any shift in its policy, and that Operation Ghazab Lil Haq is continuing.

At his weekly news briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said a Pakistani delegation was in Ürümqi for meetings under the Trilateral Counterterrorism Cooperation Mechanism involving Pakistan, China and Afghanistan. He said the engagement should not be interpreted as a change in Pakistan’s approach, particularly on security operations.

There is no material change to ongoing Operation Ghazab Lil Haq that I mentioned last week.

Andrabi said, adding that security forces had also carried out counterterrorism actions in recent days.

So, I believe the operation is on… there is no change in that operation due to any talks.

He said Pakistan’s participation in the Ürümqi process was in line with its longstanding position of backing credible efforts to eliminate militant sanctuaries and stop cross-border terrorism originating from Afghan territory.

Our participation is a reiteration of our core concerns.

he said.

The onus of real progress lies with Afghanistan, which must demonstrate visible and verifiable actions against terrorist groups using Afghan soil against Pakistan.

The spokesperson said the discussions were still in progress and more details would be clearer after the delegation returned. He added that Pakistan had consistently remained open to dialogue and continued to engage with China on the matter. Andrabi also said the Ürümqi meeting was taking place at the working level and involved senior officials, though he said he did not have complete information about the exact composition of Pakistan’s delegation.

Responding to a question about reported outreach by the Afghan Taliban, Andrabi said Pakistan had noted statements from Kabul indicating intent, but stressed that earlier commitments had not been fulfilled. Referring to assurances linked to the 2021 Doha agreement, he said those undertakings were not implemented.

That intent has to be backed by concrete, verifiable assurances in written format that their territory would not be used against Pakistan.

he said.

While we acknowledge these statements of intent, we await concrete, verifiable, written assurances.

On wider regional diplomacy, Andrabi said Pakistan’s recently announced five-point peace initiative had received appreciation from countries in the region and beyond, including the United States. He said there were similarities between the Beijing initiative and the outcomes of consultations held in Islamabad with Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, describing both as complementary efforts aimed at ending conflicts and supporting lasting peace.

Asked about possible participation by senior US officials in future talks in Islamabad, Andrabi said no details were available. He reiterated that Pakistan’s role was that of a facilitator.

It is up to the relevant parties to determine the members of their delegations or the timings of these talks.

he said.

He also rejected the suggestion that Pakistan was trying to pressure Iran, calling that assessment invalid.

Iran is a sovereign country… we are advocating dialogue and diplomacy, and our advocacy should not be misconstrued as applying any pressure.

he said, adding that Islamabad’s engagement with Tehran remained positive.

On speculation about a formal alliance emerging from consultations among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt, Andrabi said such conclusions were premature and that current discussions were focused on improving cooperation among the four countries on matters of shared interest.

Despite regional challenges, he said Pakistan would continue to pursue facilitation and support dialogue. He also dismissed reports that an Iranian delegation was hesitant to visit Pakistan because of security concerns, saying:

Islamabad remains safe.