Don’t evaluate Pak-Afghan ties on basis of business: Khawaja Asif

ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday appreciated the fact that the PTI had welcomed the ceasefire agreement inked by Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban in Doha but said that they also should condemn terrorism.

“The PTI leaders are welcoming the Doha [Qatar] agreement, [which] is a good thing,” the defence minister and requested that the Pak-Afghan relations should not be evaluated “only in the context of your business [interests]”.

“May Allah grant them the ability to condemn terrorism as well,” he remarked in a post shared on X.

In the same post, Khawaja Asif also prayed that “May Allah also give them the ability” to acknowledge “the sacrifices made by the martyrs” and “express solidarity with the Pak Army’s war against terrorism”.

The latest jibe at the PTI came as the party founded by Imran Khan — currently incarcerated in Adiala prison — is against military operations against Fitna al-Khawarij — TTP and other terrorist groups — and advocates talks with them.

Read more: Ceasefire deal a massive victory orchestrated from position of strength

In the early hours of Sunday, the defence minister had shared the news of signing the ceasefire agreement while also thanking Qatar and Turkiye for the role they played for this purpose.

Later, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday expressed similar views about the development but stressed the need for a “monitoring mechanism” with an aim “to address the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan”.

“We look forward to the establishment of a concrete and verifiable monitoring mechanism, in the next meeting to be hosted by Turkiye, to address the menace of terrorism emanating from Afghan soil towards Pakistan,” said Dar who is also Pakistan’s foreign minister.

It’s developing story. Details to follow.