Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan says cross-border terrorism remains Pakistan’s biggest concern, claims 1,360 Pakistanis were killed in related violence over the past year, and reiterates Islamabad’s support for diplomacy with Afghanistan.
WEB DESK: Pakistan’s Foreign Office has said the country is fully prepared to protect its borders, while reiterating that diplomacy remains the preferred way to resolve disputes with Afghanistan and other regional partners.
Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the remarks during a media briefing in Islamabad. He identified terrorism allegedly originating from Afghanistan as Pakistan’s biggest concern and said 1,360 Pakistanis had lost their lives to terrorism over the preceding year.
The spokesperson’s remarks come amid continuing security concerns between Islamabad and Kabul, alongside Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with regional and international partners.
Pakistan Highlights Border Security Concerns
According to the report, Khan said Pakistan had consistently advocated peace but remained prepared to safeguard its territorial integrity.
He said terrorism linked to Afghanistan was a major challenge facing Pakistan. The figure of 1,360 deaths was attributed to the spokesperson; the report did not provide a detailed breakdown or independent verification of the number.
Khan also said Pakistan had never considered diplomacy with Afghanistan a source of embarrassment, stressing that disputes and conflicts could be resolved through diplomatic engagement.
Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns about militant activity allegedly originating from Afghan territory. Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have disputed Pakistan’s accusations in previous exchanges, and the two sides remain at odds over security responsibilities.
Pakistan Says Regional Countries Share Security Concerns
The Foreign Office spokesperson also referred to concerns about the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan, saying China, Uzbekistan and other countries faced similar problems.
The remarks underscore Pakistan’s stated position that regional cooperation is necessary to address security challenges. However, the briefing report did not provide separate statements from China or Uzbekistan confirming the specific assessment attributed to them.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye Discuss Defence Cooperation
Khan also addressed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, saying Pakistan and Saudi Arabia had completed their respective procedures, while Türkiye was pursuing the process through its parliament.
He said Pakistan supported the draft of the agreement that had become publicly available.
The agreement forms part of Pakistan’s broader defence and diplomatic engagement with regional partners. The briefing report did not detail any new military deployment, operational commitment or change in the agreement’s implementation.
Pakistan Continues Diplomatic Engagement With the United States
The spokesperson said Pakistan remained involved in negotiations with the United States. He also referred to Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s contacts with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Iran.
According to the report, Dar had arrived in Türkiye to participate in an R4 meeting, which would be followed by an R4 Plus E3 meeting. The latter was described as the first meeting in that format.
