Pakistan rules out unconditional talks with Afghanistan

Pakistan has firmly rejected the notion of unconditional talks with Afghanistan, insisting that any dialogue must come with a verifiable mechanism to ensure the cessation of terrorist attacks originating from Afghan soil. Foreign Office spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan made the statement during a weekly media briefing, rejecting suggestions that Islamabad is unwilling to engage with its neighbor and assuring that Pakistan would welcome sincere efforts from friendly countries to resolve the dispute.

The statement came amid renewed Russian readiness to mediate between the two countries, although Islamabad denied any formal Russian initiative. Russia's special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, had suggested mediation after the latest round of Moscow Format consultations ended without a joint communique due to differences over language regarding terrorist networks emanating from Afghanistan.

Khan emphasized that the absence of a joint communique reflected Afghanistan's reluctance to accept language regarding terrorist networks, highlighting the central obstacle to normalizing relations. The dispute over terrorist groups and the measures needed to prevent cross-border attacks have frustrated international efforts to reduce tensions.

Pakistan's position is that dialogue must be backed by a mechanism to verify the cessation of terrorist activities, a demand reiterated by Khan after Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh threatened a larger strike in response to any future terrorist attacks, recalling Operation Sindoor and other previous Indian military actions.

Khan warned India against further escalation, urging it to learn from the consequences of its military aggression last year and adopt a responsible posture for lasting peace in the region.