Summary Pakistan says it is ready for state-level talks with Afghanistan if Kabul provides evidence of effective anti-terrorism action, while Islamabad continues regional diplomatic efforts.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Pakistan is continuing diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions between the United States and Iran and end the ongoing military standoff, while remaining ready for state-level talks with Afghanistan if Kabul provides concrete evidence of effective action against terrorism, Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said.
Speaking during the weekly press briefing, Andrabi said Pakistan believes sustainable solutions to current regional challenges can only be achieved through dialogue and diplomacy, adding that Islamabad would continue its efforts towards this objective.
The spokesperson said Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Iran on August 24 as part of Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts, where he held detailed discussions with the Iranian leadership on ways to end the tensions.
He further said Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had earlier visited Tehran on August 14, where discussions focused on reducing regional tensions, ending the military standoff and finding a solution to the dispute through negotiations.
On Afghanistan, Andrabi said Pakistan was prepared to engage in state-level talks with the country. However, he stressed that the Afghan interim government would have to provide concrete evidence that it was taking effective action against terrorism.
Responding to a statement by India’s Chief of Defence Staff regarding the attack on Karana Hills, the Foreign Office spokesperson said Pakistan’s strategic assets were completely secure and Islamabad would make no compromise on their protection and security.
Andrabi rejected statements by Indian officials, saying “Bollywood-style statements” carried no significance. He also questioned the reason for making such statements 16 to 18 months after the reported incident.
The spokesperson said Pakistan had assumed the chairmanship of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for one year and would host the organisation in 2027. He added that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had attended the SCO summit in Bishkek.
He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would hold bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the SCO summit and would also meet with the leadership of Kyrgyzstan.
