Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday stated that the responsibility now rests with Kabul to take action against militants operating from Afghan territory to launch attacks in Pakistan, following the establishment of a joint monitoring and verification mechanism with third-party involvement. His comments came after Turkey’s Foreign Ministry issued a joint statement confirming that Islamabad and Kabul had agreed to maintain the ceasefire and establish a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure peace and hold any violator accountable. The agreement was reached during recent talks in Istanbul from October 25 to 30, mediated by Turkey and Qatar, where both countries pledged continued cooperation to secure lasting regional peace and stability. Speaking on Geo News’ program “Naya Pakistan”, Tarar praised the mediating efforts of Turkey and Qatar and reiterated that Pakistan’s civil and military leadership are united, working in full harmony of thought and action. He stressed that Pakistan remains firm on its core demands, including ending terrorism, preventing cross-border attacks, and ensuring respect for border sanctity, adding that Afghan soil must not be used for assaults against Pakistan. Tarar also criticized the Afghan Taliban regime’s propaganda, describing it as a fragmented administration that does not control the entire country and therefore cannot blame Pakistan for instability. He emphasized that Kabul will be held accountable to act against Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan operating from its territory. Regarding the joint monitoring framework, Tarar noted that detailed operational arrangements will be finalized in the next round of talks between senior officials from both sides in Istanbul on November 6. “This mechanism removes any justification for the Taliban to avoid taking action against militants,” he said, adding that they will face punishment if they fail to act. He added that the new framework would give Islamabad an additional platform to present evidence and intelligence regarding violations, strengthening Pakistan’s diplomatic and security position. To a question regarding Afghanistan’s claim that Pakistan declined Kabul’s offer to hand over terror suspects, Tarar questioned why the Taliban regime was twisting facts and complicating the situation following the talks. He clarified that Islamabad has previously demanded that Kabul must control or arrest any terrorists posing a threat to Pakistan. He added that Islamabad immediately proposed that they be handed over through designated border crossings, in line with its long-standing position. Islamabad-Kabul tensions Pakistan has been grappling with rising terror incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban regime took power in 2021. The government in Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Taliban regime to rein in terrorist groups responsible for countless attacks in Pakistan. However, the Taliban regime largely remained indifferent to Pakistan’s demands and provided refuge to multiple terrorist groups targeting security forces and civilians. Instead of addressing Pakistan’s concerns about cross-border terrorism, the Taliban regime resorted to unprovoked firing along the border on October 12. The Pakistan Armed Forces retaliated swiftly, killing over 200 Taliban fighters and affiliated militants; however, as many as 23 Pakistani soldiers were martyred during the border clashes. The security forces also conducted strikes inside Afghanistan, including in Kabul, destroying terrorists’ hideouts in the country. Hostilities between forces of the two nations ceased after Pakistan accepted the Taliban regime’s request for a temporary ceasefire on October 17. Delegations from the two countries later met for talks mediated by Qatar in Doha, where they agreed on a ceasefire agreement. Turkiye then hosted the second round of talks in Istanbul, which began on October 25 and continued till October 31. The two sides would meet again in the next round scheduled for November 6.
Tarar calls for joint monitoring to end Taliban regime’s excuses on terror control
