ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to engage in dialogue with Afghanistan if the authorities in Kabul acknowledge terrorist activities originating from their territory and agree to a verifiable mechanism to stop them, Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan said on Friday.
Speaking at his weekly press briefing, the spokesperson said Pakistan was not opposed to negotiations with Afghanistan and had been engaged in talks with Kabul since 2021.
He said Islamabad believed disputes could be resolved through dialogue but stressed that any engagement must produce concrete results, particularly in addressing cross-border terrorism.
Khan said Afghanistan would have to provide assurances that a verifiable mechanism would be established to control and eliminate terrorist activities emanating from its territory.
He reiterated that Pakistan remained prepared for diplomacy and negotiations, adding that dialogue without progress on its security concerns would serve little purpose.
The spokesperson also reiterated that the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye was intended to strengthen collective defence, deterrence and regional security and was not directed against any third country.
He said Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had completed the ratification process, while Islamabad supported the draft agreement submitted to the Turkish parliament for approval.
Under the agreement, the three countries would consult one another in the event of external aggression and decide on an appropriate response, Khan said, adding that the draft submitted to the Turkish parliament contained no secret provisions beyond those included in the agreement.
The Makkah Joint Defence Agreement was signed by Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye in August 2026 to strengthen collective deterrence and defence cooperation.
On Pakistan-EU relations, the spokesperson said the two sides had agreed to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation, including through multilateral forums such as the United Nations, following their 10th bilateral counterterrorism dialogue in Islamabad.
He said both sides condemned terrorism in all its forms and discussed security implications arising from the situation in Afghanistan.
According to Khan, the European Union condemned recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, expressed solidarity with affected civilians and acknowledged Islamabad’s counterterrorism efforts.
The discussions covered the use of cyberspace, information and energy resources by terrorist groups, as well as measures to counter violent extremism, terrorist financing and radicalisation.
The Pakistani delegation was led by Director General for Counterterrorism Dr Fareha Bugti, while the EU delegation was headed by European External Action Service Special Envoy for Counterterrorism Anna Strzaska. The two sides agreed to hold their next round of talks in Brussels next year.
The spokesperson also condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia and expressed concern over the ongoing conflict in Yemen and its regional implications.
He said Pakistan had consistently supported dialogue and diplomatic efforts to achieve lasting peace and reiterated Islamabad’s commitment to peaceful resolution of regional disputes.
Rejecting allegations made by India’s Ministry of External Affairs, Khan described them as baseless and reiterated Pakistan’s position that the Kashmir dispute remained unresolved internationally.
He said a resolution adopted by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation had rejected India’s move to change the status of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Khan also criticised the reported move by the Indian government to vacate the historic Race Course Mosque, describing it as a reflection of growing religious intolerance and Islamophobia in India. He urged the international community to take notice.
The spokesperson further warned that Pakistan was prepared to respond to any alleged Indian false-flag operation. He described such operations as a pattern associated with India, presenting the assertion as Pakistan’s position.
Discussing bilateral relations with the Maldives, Khan said President Mohamed Muizzu’s visit had resulted in agreements and memorandums of understanding, opening opportunities for trade and investment. The visit coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
He also said President Asif Ali Zardari was visiting Germany from October 22 to 24, with meetings planned with German leaders and business representatives to discuss bilateral ties, particularly trade and economic cooperation.
On regional defence cooperation, the spokesperson said Pakistan, Qatar, Turkiye and Indonesia had signed a memorandum of understanding in Doha to promote mutual defence cooperation.
He added that Pakistan and Latvia had also held a round of bilateral political consultations.
