Pakistan says any dialogue with the Taliban depends on what it called concrete and verifiable action on the ground against armed groups operating from Afghanistan.
Sajjad Haider Khan, a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, said at the ministry’s weekly media briefing that talks with the Taliban must produce tangible security results.
“Pakistan is not averse to dialogue and negotiations, including talks with representatives of Afghanistan,” he said. “Pakistan welcomes any sincere efforts by friendly countries that can help address its legitimate security concerns and strengthen regional peace and stability.”
Khan said Pakistan values its contacts with Russia on Afghanistan, but he was not aware of any separate, formal Russian mediation initiative under discussion. Russia, the only country to have formally recognised the Taliban government, has recently renewed its offer to help reach a settlement if both sides request its involvement.
His remarks came in response to comments by Gul Hassan Hassan, the Taliban’s ambassador to Russia, who accused Pakistan of sheltering armed opponents of the Taliban and of enabling the Islamic State group and drug trafficking.
“It has provided a favourable environment for drug traffickers and ISIS,” Hassan said of Pakistan. “These are not merely allegations; reports from Pakistan have confirmed this.”
Pakistan, for its part, accuses the Taliban of sheltering the Pakistani Taliban, known as the TTP, and other armed groups that carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul has consistently denied the allegations.
Relations between the two neighbours have deteriorated sharply over the past year. Qatar and Türkiye brokered a ceasefire in Doha last October, and China hosted talks in Urumqi in April, but attacks inside Pakistan have continued. Several rounds of negotiations have failed to produce a lasting agreement.
The divisions were on display again this month. The Moscow Format consultations on Afghanistan, held on October 5, ended without a joint statement after Pakistan and the Taliban delegation failed to agree on the final text. Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, said the dispute centred on references to Afghanistan in connection with terrorism.
Mohammad Afzali, an international relations expert, told Amu that Pakistan has long backed a range of groups in Afghanistan.
“Pakistan has supported various political, ideological, ethnic and religious groups in Afghanistan,” he said. “We can say that it has had more than ten options in this regard, with the Taliban being one of them.”
The post Pakistan Says Taliban Talks Depend on Action Against Militants appeared first on Amu TV.