ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Pakistan’s recent high-level meetings with Taliban officials demonstrate Islamabad’s commitment to addressing key issues through dialogue, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, said on Thursday.
“These meetings reflect Pakistan’s interest in engaging in discussions to resolve any challenges that arise from time to time and to find constructive approaches and solutions to serious concerns,” Ms. Baloch stated during a press briefing.
Last week, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, the Taliban’s chargé d’affaires in Islamabad, met with Ishaq Dar, Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister. Prior to this, Pakistan’s acting ambassador in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, held discussions with Mohammad Yaqoob, the Taliban’s defense minister.
Counterterrorism remains a priority in the bilateral talks, according to Ms. Baloch, who reiterated Pakistan’s concerns over the presence of militants from the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operating from Afghan soil.
“Pakistan’s concerns regarding terrorist groups finding safe havens in Afghanistan and freely operating against Pakistan remain at the forefront of our agenda with Afghanistan,” Ms. Baloch said.
Relations between the Taliban and Pakistan have been strained in recent months. Islamabad has repeatedly accused the Taliban of providing support to the TTP, a charge the Taliban deny. Meanwhile, some pro-Taliban media outlets have countered with claims that Pakistan supports ISIS activities within Afghanistan.
At a recent funeral for Khalil Haqqani, a Taliban official who died in a suicide attack, Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi claimed that ISIS had carried out seven attacks in Afghanistan, six of which were planned from outside the country.
Calling on neighboring countries, particularly Pakistan, to address the threat of terrorism, Mr. Muttaqi said, “We urge our neighbors to take steps to prevent terrorism.”
