Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said Afghanistan must guarantee peace in Pakistan or bear the consequences if the present situation continues.
Speaking on Samaa TV programme "Mere Sawal with Absar Alam", Asif warned that terrorism and cross-border incursions from Afghanistan must stop completely, otherwise the agreement between the two countries would lose its value. He said Pakistan’s peace guarantee must come from Kabul and all relevant parties, as continued unrest would harm Afghanistan itself.
He said Pakistan would not tolerate terrorism from any group, including the banned TTP or BLA, and that cross-border attacks were being met with a strong response. He made it clear that Pakistan would not retreat from its stance against terrorism.
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Asif said members of the same delegation would take part in the next round of talks with the Afghan Taliban to settle details. "If progress was made, senior officials could be added to the delegations. A new mechanism would be established on 6 November to address cross-border activities", he said.
The defence minister said that Afghan Taliban had demanded Rs10 billion for the transfer of TTP members, but they were not ready to give any guarantees. Pakistan, he said, was willing to pay more, yet Kabul refused to assure compliance.
He said Türkiye and Qatar were trusted friends and were playing a mediatory role, adding that Pakistan’s interests were important to both countries. “I have faith in Türkiye and Qatar,” he said, “but not in the Afghan Taliban. I am ready to accept the word of Türkiye and Qatar, not of the Taliban.”
Asif said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had become politically bankrupt and was seeking to create political capital through theatrics. He warned that any Indian aggression would receive a strong response.
The minister said if an agreement was reached to form a force of seven or eight countries in Gaza, Pakistan’s participation would be an honour.
