ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan on Saturday rejected Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s comments linking terrorism to internal issues of Pakistan and expressed strong reservations over the India-Afghanistan joint statement issued in New Delhi, terming it “highly insensitive” and contrary to established facts.
According to the Foreign Office, Afghanistan’s ambassador in Islamabad was summoned after the Afghan foreign minister’s remarks were deemed misleading and “against the reality on ground.” Pakistan also lodged a strong protest against the reference to Jammu and Kashmir in the joint statement, describing it as a “clear violation” of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the disputed region’s internationally recognised status.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said the joint statement ignored “the sacrifices and sentiments of the people of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), who continue their just struggle for self-determination.” The spokesperson added that describing Jammu and Kashmir as part of India directly contravenes UNSC resolutions.
The joint statement was released during Afghan Foreign Minister Muttaqi’s six-day visit to India, following a temporary travel exemption granted by the UNSC Committee. It marked the first such trip by a Taliban leader to India since 2021.
During the visit, India announced it would reopen its embassy in Kabul – closed since the Taliban takeover in 2021 – signalling a diplomatic thaw between the two sides. Both countries also jointly condemned “all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries,” emphasising regional peace, stability, and mutual trust.
Pakistan, however, rejected the assertion that terrorism was an “internal issue” for Islamabad. The Foreign Office reiterated that credible evidence had been shared with Kabul regarding the presence of “Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan” elements operating from Afghan soil, targeting Pakistan with support from within Afghanistan.
“Deflecting responsibility for controlling terrorism towards Pakistan cannot absolve the Interim Afghan Government of its obligations to ensure peace and stability in the region,” the statement said.
The Foreign Office reaffirmed that Pakistan had hosted nearly four million Afghan refugees for over four decades, continuing to issue medical and study visas on humanitarian grounds. It noted that as peace returns to Afghanistan, all unauthorised Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan should now return home.
Reiterating its commitment to a peaceful, stable, and connected Afghanistan through trade and regional cooperation, Pakistan underlined that its national security and the prevention of cross-border terrorism remain top priorities.
“Pakistan expects the interim Afghan government to play its due role by taking concrete measures to prevent its territory from being used by Fitna-e-Khawarij and Fitna-e-Hindustan against Pakistan,” the Foreign Office concluded.
Islamabad and Kabul continue to face strained relations amid the Taliban administration’s reluctance to act against terrorist groups based in Afghanistan. Pakistan has reported a rise in cross-border attacks since 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The two neighbours share a 2,500-kilometre-long porous border with several trade and transit crossings. Despite these deep-rooted people-to-people links, the issue of terrorism has remained a key concern for Pakistan, which has repeatedly urged Kabul to rein in the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and prevent its soil from being used for attacks.
A recent report by the United Nations Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team also confirmed Pakistan’s stance, revealing operational, logistical, and financial ties between the Afghan administration and the TTP.