Pakistan’s FM urges Kabul to take action against TTP, BLA

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday raised concerns over a recent surge in terrorist attacks by groups “operating from Afghan soil” during a meeting with Afghan Foreign Minister Maulvi Amir Khan Muttaqi in Kabul, the Foreign Ministry said.

Dar urged Afghan authorities to take “concrete and verifiable measures” against the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and its affiliate Majeed Brigade, according to a statement issued in Islamabad.

Reiterating Pakistan’s concerns about the presence of Pakistani militant groups in Afghanistan, Dar underlined that security cooperation, particularly counter-terrorism, has lagged behind despite encouraging progress in political and commercial ties.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 6th Trilateral Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of Pakistan, China and Afghanistan. Kabul, however, has consistently rejected Pakistan’s stance on the use of Afghan territory for cross-border attacks.

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According to the Foreign Ministry, Dar “acknowledged progress in political and trade relations, while stressing that security cooperation remains weak.” The Afghan acting foreign minister, meanwhile, “reaffirmed Afghanistan’s commitment to ensuring its territory is not used by any terrorist group against Pakistan or any other country.”

Both ministers expressed satisfaction with the “positive trajectory” of bilateral ties and welcomed the recent decision to elevate diplomatic representation from chargé d’affaires to ambassadorial level, agreed during the Trilateral Meeting in Beijing on May 21, 2025.

They also reviewed outcomes of recent engagements, including Dar’s visits to Kabul on April 19 and July 17, 2025, and noted with appreciation that most decisions from those meetings had either been implemented or were nearing completion. These steps, the statement said, have significantly strengthened Pakistan-Afghanistan relations, particularly in trade and transit.

Muttaqi told Dar that Afghanistan seeks positive relations with Pakistan as part of its “balanced, economy-focused policy” and is keen to expand trade, transit and joint projects. He also called for “practical steps” to address outstanding issues and create new opportunities in these sectors.

The Afghan minister further raised the issue of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, urging authorities in Islamabad to ensure that the rights of Afghans residing or travelling there are not violated.

Meanwhile, Afghan officials reiterated their government’s desire for relations with Pakistan to be based on “mutual respect.”