Islamabad on Thursday welcomed a resolution by Afghan scholars condemning the use of Afghanistan’s soil for carrying out attacks on neighbouring countries, calling it a step in the right direction toward regional peace.
The resolution, reportedly passed during a meeting at Kabul University, stressed that Afghan territory must never be used to threaten or harm other nations.
In his weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi described the move as a "positive development," but he emphasized that Islamabad remains cautious. Andrabi pointed out that the Afghan Taliban regime had previously made similar commitments, but they were not fully honored, raising doubts over implementation.
He reiterated Pakistan’s demand for written assurances from Kabul that Afghan soil will not be used by terrorist groups to launch attacks inside Pakistan. “While the resolution is welcome, it does not qualify to be a formal written assurance,” Andrabi noted. He also highlighted Pakistan’s concern for the well-being of Afghan civilians and reaffirmed the country’s readiness to provide humanitarian assistance whenever required.
Pakistan-Afghanistan border tensions
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained, mainly due to recurring cross-border attacks. Islamabad has repeatedly claimed that these attacks are being orchestrated by militants operating from Afghan territory. Tensions escalated in October when Taliban forces, supported by allied militant groups, launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani border posts on October 12.
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In response, Pakistan carried out retaliatory strikes, killing over 200 militants, including Taliban fighters, while also executing precision strikes deep inside Afghanistan, targeting areas in Kabul and Kandahar provinces. During these clashes, 23 Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom defending their homeland. Though a ceasefire has been observed since then, both countries have yet to agree on mechanisms to prevent future cross-border attacks.
Extradition cases and UK relations
Separately, Andrabi addressed Pakistan’s efforts to secure the extradition of former special assistant to the prime minister Mirza Shahzad Akbar and retired Major Adil Raja from the United Kingdom. He clarified that Pakistan does not have a formal extradition treaty with the UK, but extradition requests can be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi recently handed over the extradition papers to UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott, urging that both individuals, wanted in Pakistan, be returned immediately. Akbar, a former close aide to ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan, has been living in London since April 2022, while Major (retd) Adil Raja, convicted under the Pakistan Army Act, 1952, and sentenced through a Field General Court Martial in 2023, is accused of anti-Pakistan activities on social media.
