Amid the ongoing hostilities with Afghanistan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (FO) on Saturday said that a high-level delegation, led by Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, is holding talks with a delegation from the neighboring country in Doha today.
“The talks will focus on immediate measures to end cross-border terrorism against Pakistan emanating from Afghanistan and restore peace and stability along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border,” he said.
“Pakistan does not seek escalation, but urges the Afghan Taliban authorities to honor their commitments to the international community and address Pakistan’s legitimate security concerns by taking verifiable measures against terrorist entities,” he said.
“Pakistan appreciates Qatar’s mediation efforts and hopes that these discussions will contribute to peace and stability in the region,” the FO said.
Previously, Zabiullah Mujahid, spokesman for the Taliban government, had also confirmed that talks between the two countries would be held in the capital of Qatar.
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Reports from Afghanistan suggest that the Taliban delegation would also include intelligence chief Mullah Wasiq in addition to the defense minister.
Minister says Pakistan carried out precision strikes in Afghanistan last night
Meanwhile, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan attacked verified camps of banned group Gul Bahadur in border areas of North and South Waziristan districts along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
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“During the effective responses of security forces, more than 100 kharjis “They were sent to hell,” he said. He said the terrorist also carried out an improvised explosive device (IED) attack in North Waziristan in which civilians and a soldier were martyred while many others were injured.
“Against kharjis of the Gul Bahadur Group, precision strikes were carried out last night. In these precision hits, [a] minimum [of] 60-70 kharjis and its leaders have been sent to hell according to confirmed intelligence reports,” the minister said.
“All speculation and claims made about attacks on civilians are false and are intended to generate support for terrorist groups operating from inside Afghanistan,” he said.
“Pakistan sincerely believes that [the] The way forward is to resolve this complex issue of Indian-sponsored terrorism emanating from Afghan soil through talks and control of non-state actors by the Afghan authorities. However, Pakistan has all rights to safeguard its territorial integrity and the lives of the people of Pakistan, and we will not allow terrorists operating from within Afghanistan to live in peace,” he said.
Pakistan again attacked terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan on Friday. Incidents were reported in Angoor Adda region and Afghan Urgun and Barmal districts of Paktika province while precision strikes were carried out on hideouts of the banned group Hafiz Gul Bahadur.
The attacks came on the heels of an attack on a military facility in North Waziristan, and just hours after Islamabad and Kabul extended a two-day ceasefire.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) also said it would pull out of a three-nation T20I series scheduled to be held in Pakistan next month after alleging that three cricketers were killed in an attack.
The new exchanges on Friday night had cast a shadow over the ceasefire, which had been extended just hours earlier, as well as the talks planned in Doha.
“The ceasefire has been mutually extended by both Pakistan and Afghanistan until the end of talks in Doha, Qatar. Talks are ready to begin. [on Saturday]“said a security source on Friday afternoon at the conclusion of the initial 48-hour truce, which had been in effect since Wednesday.
The two-day ceasefire was largely observed without violations, but the dialogue initially agreed upon at the time of its announcement, intended to address what Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry described as a “complex but solvable issue,” did not take place during that period.
Earlier in the day, in his weekly press briefing, outgoing Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan reiterated: “Afghanistan has become a central breeding ground for global terrorism.”
He warned the international community against complacency, adding: “We do not have to wait for a major global disaster to take corrective action. This fire will spread. It must be stopped.”
During the first phase of the truce, no bilateral initiative for talks emerged. However, Qatar, which along with Saudi Arabia had pressured both sides to end hostilities, offered to host their meeting in Doha. The talks, initially scheduled for Thursday or Friday, were postponed by a day due to logistical problems and the reluctance of Taliban leaders to participate, the sources said.
