Afghan transit trade to remain suspended, says FO spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi on Friday said that the Afghan transit trade will remain suspended until the security situation improves, stressing that “the lives of Pakistanis are more valuable than any trade goods.”

Addressing the weekly press briefing, Andrabi said that Pakistan is closely monitoring the situation in Afghanistan following the Doha talks, noting that no cross-border attacks have occurred since the negotiations.

He said that details regarding the Pakistani delegation’s participation in the upcoming Istanbul talks were not yet available.

“The situation changed after terrorists from Afghan soil carried out attacks in Pakistan, resulting in the killing of innocent Pakistanis,” he said, adding that it was unclear why Special Representative Muhammad Sadiq did not attend the Doha talks.

Responding to a question, the spokesperson said that terrorists from across the Afghan border have repeatedly targeted trade routes, leading to the loss of innocent lives. “Pakistani lives are more valuable than any commercial cargo,” he reiterated.

Andarabi emphasised that Afghan soil must not be used to promote or sponsor terrorism in Pakistan.

He further stated that while there was initially a sense of optimism when the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, the situation deteriorated as banned outfits like the TTP and other armed groups began using Afghan territory for attacks inside Pakistan.

“The message from Pakistan to the interim Afghan authorities is clear — these attacks must stop. The perpetrators, including members of the banned TTP and other militant groups, must be restrained and brought to justice,” he said.

“This is not an unreasonable demand,” he added. “Pakistan is only asking them to honour the commitments they made under the Doha Agreement.”

On the visit of Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister to Pakistan, Andrabi said that both sides held delegation-level talks and agreed to enhance cooperation across various sectors. He added that several memorandums of understanding were signed, and the Polish deputy prime minister praised Pakistan’s role in promoting regional peace.

Commenting on recent developments in the Middle East, the FO spokesperson said that the Israeli parliament’s controversial legislation violates international laws and norms, reaffirming that **Pakistan will continue to support the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state.