Spokesman also says that the death sentence of Sheikh Hasina is Bangladesh’s internal matter
Pakistan has expressed serious concern over the continued use of Afghan territory for terrorist attacks and confirmed that its border restrictions and trade suspension with Afghanistan will remain in place.
During the weekly press briefing on Friday, Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Hussain Andarabi said that the Afghan Taliban supports groups involved in terrorist activities and must prevent Afghan nationals from carrying out attacks in Pakistan. He said that Afghan territory is consistently used to carry out terrorism against Pakistan, which is why Islamabad suspended trade with Kabul.
The spokesman also welcomed Turkiye’s interest in mediation efforts, although the planned visit of a Turkish delegation was postponed due to the Turkish vice president’s foreign commitments.
He added that several countries have called for mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. He further confirmed that the embassies of both Pakistan and Afghanistan are functioning and communication channels between the two sides remain open.
Andrabi further mentioned that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is currently visiting the EU where he participated in the 4th EU Indo-Pacific Forum and held a series of meetings with European officials.
He said Dar met the Hungarian foreign minister and both sides signed a memorandum of understanding that will provide scholarships to Pakistani students. He also held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Denmark, Slovenia and the Netherlands.
Before leaving for the European Union, Dar visited Moscow from November 17 to 18 to attend the SCO Heads of Government Meeting, he added. During the visit, the DPM met the Russian President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister. In the SCO session, regional issues, including relations with Afghanistan, were discussed, after which a joint statement on economic cooperation was issued.
In addition, the spokesman strongly condemned the actions of the Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank and the desecration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. He also criticized India for recent arrests in connection with the Red Fort bombing, stating that most of those detained were from Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Read more: Torkham border closure causes DKK 150m loss to wholesalers.
He said that India is constantly trying to change the demographic balance in the region and Pakistan is urging the international community and the United Nations to take notice of ongoing human rights violations in Occupied Kashmir. Responding to the death sentence announced on former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid, the spokesman said the issue is an internal matter for Bangladesh, which has its own constitution and legal system.
Commenting on US President Donald Trump’s statement that the Indian Prime Minister is avoiding a war, Andarabi said Pakistan considers the statements credible. He added that the latest US congressional report was a research-based document prepared from open sources.
Talking about the UN vote on Gaza, he said Pakistan explained its position after voting in favor of the US resolution. China, which abstained, also clarified its position. He added that Pakistan and China share similar views on several aspects of the issue.
