Envoy says no pause in ties with Kabul despite strikes

ISLAMABAD: Pakis­tan’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, has said there is no pause in relations with the Taliban administration in Kabul despite recent military actions.

Talking to Dawn on Friday after a meeting with Afghan Charge d’Affa­ires Sardar Ahmad Shakib, Ambassador Durrani described the meeting as a continuation of engagement with Taliban officials after the strikes against Gul Bahadur Group hideouts in Afghanistan.

A day earlier, Pakistan’s Foreign Office had publicly voiced desire for addressing the issue of terrorism with Afghanistan through dialogue and cooperation.

The strikes, aimed at the hideouts of the Gul Baha­dur Group in Afghanistan, marked a significant mom­ent in the complex relationship between Islamabad and the Taliban government, which has been strained by the issue of terrorist sanctuaries since the Taliban’s ascension to power in 2021. This incident was notably the first instance of Pakistan deploying fighter jets into Afghan airspace for such operations, prompting a sharp response from the Taliban through artillery fire along the border areas.

During his conversation with Sardar Shakib, Mr Durrani highlighted the primary focus on addressing terrorism and exploring bilateral cooperation to mitigate these challenges.

FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch had reminded in her media briefing on Thursday that a Pakistani proposal aimed at jointly tackling terrorism has been on the negotiation table for a while. “We hope going forward, the two countries can work together to find joint solutions to combat terrorism,” she expressed optimistically.

The discussion between Ambassador Durrani and Sardar Shakib also touched upon strengthening the ties between the two countries, including an upcoming visit by a Pakistani trade delegation to Afghanistan on March 25.

In a separate statement condemning a recent terrorist attack in Kandahar, the FO reiterated that terrorism remains a mutual concern, necessitating collective efforts to address and overcome.