Bitter return: A Taliban security personnel standing guard as deported Afghan refugees from Pakistan arrive at the zero-point border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. — AFP
THE nation has said that negotiations for a lasting truce with Afghanistan had “failed to bring about a workable solution”, warning it would take steps to protect its people.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have been holding negotiations in Istanbul aimed at securing peace after the South Asian neighbours’ deadliest border clashes in years.
The violence, which killed more than 70 people and wounded hundreds, erupted following explosions in Kabul on Oct 9 that the Taliban authorities blamed on Pakistan.
“Regrettably, the Afghan side gave no assurances, kept deviating from the core issue and resorted to blame game, deflection and ruses,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on X after four days of negotiations brokered by Qatar and Turkiye. “The dialogue thus failed to bring about any workable solution.”
Tarar said Pakistan engaged with Afghanistan in the spirit of peace, but accused Kabul of “unabated support to anti-Pakistan terrorists”.
“We will continue to take all possible measures necessary to protect our people from the menace of terrorism,” he added, vowing to “decimate the terrorists, their sanctuaries, their abetters and supporters”.
There was no immediate comment from Afghanistan.
Relations between the one-time allies, who share a 2,600km frontier, have soured in recent years over accusations from Islamabad that Afghanistan harbours militant groups which stage attacks in Pakistan.
Of particular concern to Islamabad is the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighter group, which Islamabad has been demanding action against. — AFP
