Mediationbacks Turkey’s offer.
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday expressed completeignorance regarding any reported negotiations between Pakistan andAfghanistan facilitated by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, terming circulatingclaims as baseless and without foundation.
Speaking at the weekly media briefing, Foreign Office spokespersoncategorically stated that no such talks had taken place under Saudimediation and the ministry had no information about any initiative in thisregard. She emphasised that Pakistan remained committed to resolving alloutstanding issues with Afghanistan through direct bilateral channels.
The spokesperson dismissed speculation triggered by certain media reportssuggesting that Riyadh had recently hosted secret discussions betweenPakistani and Afghan officials. She described the reports as speculativeand clarified that Pakistan had neither sought nor participated in anythird-party mediated dialogue with Kabul on the Saudi platform.
In a separate development, the Foreign Office warmly welcomed the offer ofmediation made by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to help improvestrained relations between Islamabad and Kabul. The spokesperson saidPakistan highly valued Turkey’s fraternal role and constructive engagementin promoting regional peace and stability.
“Pakistan appreciates the goodwill gesture from President Erdoğan andremains open to any sincere effort aimed at fostering better understandingwith Afghanistan,” she added. The spokesperson underlined that durablepeace in the region required joint and sincere efforts from both Pakistanand Afghanistan, particularly in addressing mutual concerns related toterrorism and border management.
Relations between the two neighbouring countries have remained tense sincethe Taliban returned to power in August 2021, with Islamabad repeatedlyaccusing Kabul of providing sanctuary to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistanmilitants. Afghanistan has consistently rejected the allegations.
The Foreign Office reiterated Pakistan’s consistent policy of engagingAfghanistan through established diplomatic mechanisms, including thetrilateral dialogue format involving China. It stressed that any initiativefor reconciliation must respect Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns andcontribute meaningfully to counter-terrorism cooperation.
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Analysts believe the Turkish offer could provide a fresh opportunity toease tensions, given Ankara’s close ties with both Islamabad and theTaliban administration. However, they caution that substantive progresswould depend on Afghanistan taking verifiable steps against anti-Pakistanterrorist groups operating from its soil.
The ministry assured that Pakistan would continue pursuing peace andstability in Afghanistan through principled engagement while safeguardingits national interests.
Source: https://mofa.gov.pk/press-releases
Source: https://www.dawn.com/news/1880241
Tags: Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Foreign Office, TTP
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