Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says Pakistan seeks peaceful coexistence with Afghanistan but will respond to attempts to disrupt peace.
ISLAMABAD — WEB DESK: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar has said Pakistan’s desire for peace with Afghanistan should not be interpreted as weakness, warning that Islamabad will respond to any attempt to disrupt peace or destabilise the country.
Tarar made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing a seminar titled “Afghan Predicament and the Trajectory to Peace” in Islamabad.
He said Pakistan and Afghanistan are neighbouring countries with longstanding links and that Islamabad believes in peaceful coexistence.
“Any attempt from Afghanistan to disrupt peace in Pakistan … have been responded to and shall be responded to,” Tarar said.
Pakistan Says It Supports Dialogue
Tarar said Pakistan had made several efforts to resolve issues through negotiations, including sending high-level delegations to Afghanistan.
He said Islamabad believes that problems between the two countries can be addressed through dialogue and that peace and stability are necessary for economic development.
According to Tarar, Pakistan wants to see stronger trade connections between Afghanistan and the wider region, including potential routes linking Central Asian countries with Pakistan’s ports.
Tarar Calls for Change in Afghan Approach
The information minister said the Afghan interim government needs to move away from what he described as a “militant mindset” and adopt a state-oriented approach.
Tarar also alleged that terrorist safe havens and members of internationally proscribed organisations remain in Afghanistan. He said Pakistan has repeatedly raised these concerns through dialogue.
These are claims made by the Pakistani government; the linked report does not provide an independent verification of the allegations.
Focus on Regional Trade and Peace
Tarar said greater stability in Afghanistan could create opportunities for regional trade and investment.
He highlighted the potential for Central Asian states to use routes through Afghanistan to reach Pakistan’s ports, including Karachi and Gwadar.
However, he identified violent extremism and militancy as obstacles to achieving greater regional economic cooperation.
Pakistan Says Peace Remains Its Position
Tarar said Pakistan had continued to pursue dialogue and wanted a sustainable model for peace in the region.
He also said Afghan citizens deserved greater opportunities to exercise basic rights, including education, peaceful assembly, association and economic participation.
The latest remarks come amid heightened tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan over cross-border security concerns. Earlier this month, Pakistan also said it had carried out strikes against locations in Afghanistan following what it described as drone incursions from Afghan territory.
Pakistan has repeatedly said it does not seek escalation while maintaining that it will respond to security threats originating from Afghan territory.
