ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday said that Kabul must take “decisive and irreversible” steps against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), asserting that the recent detention of several hundred militants by the Afghan Taliban was “far from sufficient.”
Briefing reporters at the Foreign Office, Dar confirmed that Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi had invited Pakistan to verify the arrests. However, he stressed that Islamabad expected far more concrete action, particularly the relocation or handover of TTP elements operating along the border. Pakistan’s sole demand, he reiterated, was that Afghan territory must not be used for attacks inside Pakistan.
Planned anti-terror operation stalled at allies’ request
Dar revealed that Pakistan had been on the verge of launching a major counterterrorism operation inside Afghanistan to eliminate cross-border militant threats. The move was put on hold after Qatar and Turkiye urged restraint and offered to mediate. He thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir for agreeing to pause the operation in the interest of diplomacy.
Despite several rounds of talks, Dar said, the Afghan Taliban remained rigid in their stance. He added that the border was not closed “by choice” but out of necessity, noting that Pakistan had lost over 4,000 soldiers since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
The foreign minister underscored Pakistan’s extensive diplomatic outreach — including recent engagements in Berlin, Brussels, Moscow, and Kabul — aimed at stabilising Afghanistan. He said Pakistan had honoured all commitments made to the Afghan authorities and continued to advocate constructive dialogue, with support from the EU and other regional actors.
Dar also reaffirmed that Pakistan would keep facilitating humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan at the United Nations’ request, balancing relief efforts with security needs.
Willingness to join Gaza ISF with clear UN mandate
Separately, Dar confirmed that Pakistan is prepared to contribute troops to the proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) for Gaza, provided the mission has an explicit mandate approved by the UN Security Council.
He clarified that Pakistan would not take part in any effort to disarm Hamas, saying such responsibilities lie with Palestinian law-enforcement institutions. Dar noted that Pakistan’s position mirrors that of other countries — including Indonesia, which has signalled readiness to send 20,000 troops.
According to Dar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already given in-principle approval for Pakistan’s participation. However, Islamabad will make a final decision only after the mandate and terms of reference for the ISF are formally outlined.
