ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign minister on Tuesday expressed optimism ahead of talks with Afghanistan in Istanbul that the two neighbors could work together to address cross-border militancy and strengthen bilateral cooperation.
Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been high in recent months following an uptick in attacks in Pakistan’s western provinces that border Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Afghan Taliban of allowing the use of their soil for these attacks, an allegation Kabul denies.
The two countries engaged in fierce fighting last month after Pakistan hit what it called TTP-affiliated targets in Afghanistan. Both sides reached a ceasefire in Doha on Oct. 19 and are due to meet in Istanbul on Nov. 6 to finalize a mechanism to keep militancy along their 2,600-kilometer border in check.
Addressing the upper house of parliament, FM Ishaq Dar said he “received six calls” from his Afghan counterpart Amir Khan Muttaqi on Monday and told him that he supported Afghanistan as a neighboring Muslim country, but the rise in cross-border militancy had left him in a difficult position.
“I am among those who want to move forward positively with Afghanistan, Iran and all our neighboring countries. This is my responsibility on behalf of Pakistan,” Dar said, briefing Senate members about Pakistan’s talks with Afghanistan.
“My wish and prayer is that these matters be resolved and that we help one another.”
The TTP is responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan, including on churches, schools and the shooting of Malala Yousafzai, who survived the 2012 attack after she was targeted for her campaign against the Taliban’s efforts to deny women education. The group has stepped up its attacks against Pakistani security forces and law enforcement agencies in recent years.
Pakistani forces were able to effectively dismantle the TTP and kill most of its top leaders in a string of military operations from 2014 onwards in the country’s northwestern tribal areas, driving most of the fighters into neighboring Afghanistan.
Without naming anyone, Dar blamed the former government of Prime Minister Imran Khan for holding talks with the TTP and providing space to its fighters to regroup in the region.
“That was the biggest mistake. I am not against any person or any government, but this is a fact,” he said. “We must pull ourselves together so that such mistakes are not repeated, whether it’s our government or any other.”
