Pakistan slams Afghan Taliban for 'shifting blame', 'persistent refusal' to address terrorism issues

Pakistan slams Afghan Taliban for 'shifting blame', 'persistent refusal' to address terrorism issues

The information ministry on Saturday rebuked the Afghan Taliban’s stance on the ongoing conflict between the two countries, assailing its “persistent refusal to address terrorism” emanating from Afghanistan’s soil. The statement came in response to remarks made by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who blamed Islamabad’s “wrong policies” for preventing a resolution to the conflict and insisted Kabul was not the cause of counterterrorism issues. “Pakistan does not want to resolve the conflict with Afghanistan through talks,” Mujahid told Hurriyat Radio, claiming that Islamabad “lacks the necessary readiness for a peaceful resolution of differences”. In its statement, the information ministry said the Afghan spokesman’s remarks expose the “regime’s deeply misguided approach and unwillingness to confront the root cause of deteriorating relations with Pakistan”. “The Taliban leadership continues to blame Islamabad’s policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations: its persistent failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,” it added. The ministry reiterated Pakistan’s “unequivocal” position: terrorism is a red line and the security of its citizens is non-negotiable.* “The Afghan Taliban regime must understand that Pakistan will not tolerate terrorist sanctuaries across its borders that impact its security nor allow its people to remain targets of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan,” it stated. Islamabad reiterated that the “Taliban regime’s persistent refusal to address terrorism remains the principal obstacle to normal relations”. “Shifting blame, making hollow assurances and questioning Pakistan’s policies will neither resolve the crisis nor absolve Kabul of its responsibilities. The Afghan Taliban leadership must understand that Pakistan’s security will not be held hostage to Afghan Taliban’s inaction, evasions or misplaced priorities.” The information ministry affirmed that Pakistan reserved the right to “take all necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to eliminate threats to its national security, wherever they originate”. It urged Kabul to recognise that the responsibility for addressing these threats “rests squarely with the Afghan Taliban regime”. “Pakistan’s resolve to protect its people must never be mistaken for weakness,” it declared.