Ishaq Dar Urges Taliban to Stop Terror Groups in Afghanistan

Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has said attacks against Pakistan are being planned from Afghanistan, urging the Taliban authorities to end what he described as support for terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory.

Addressing a meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan, Dar said the situation in Afghanistan continued to have implications for regional peace and security.

He said August 2021 marked a decisive turning point for Afghanistan and recalled that Pakistan was the first country to open its doors to the Afghan people. Islamabad also hosted the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers meeting in December 2021.

Dar said there had been expectations that the Taliban would eliminate terrorism and promote greater political inclusion, but added that the international community’s expectations regarding Afghanistan had not been fulfilled.

Dar Calls for Action Against Terror Groups

The foreign minister said the Taliban must take concrete measures to curb terrorism, claiming that attacks against Pakistan were being planned from Afghanistan.

He urged the Taliban to stop supporting terrorist groups, adding that such attacks were also receiving external backing.

Dar said more than two dozen terrorist groups were present in Afghanistan and described them as a threat to regional and international peace.

Referring to recent violence in Pakistan, he said the country’s institutions had made significant sacrifices in the fight against terrorism and noted that 24 people were killed in the Kohat mosque attack.

He called on the OIC to press the Taliban to eliminate terrorism and ensure that Afghan territory was not used against neighbouring countries.

Human Rights and Political Inclusion

Dar also urged the Taliban to fulfil their international obligations and commitments and reconsider policies that deny fundamental freedoms to ordinary citizens.

He called for an inclusive political process involving all ethnic groups and minorities, saying the Afghan people had already endured years of civil war and conflict.

Dar also called for facilitating the return and resettlement of Afghan citizens, while urging the international community to share the burden.

Pakistan Reaffirms Support for Stable Afghanistan

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan remained the country most interested in peace and stability in Afghanistan, having suffered heavily from the consequences of instability there.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting a stable and prosperous Afghanistan, but said achieving that objective required mutual respect and political commitment from the Taliban authorities.