Pakistan Foreign Ministry: Kabul-Islamabad Relations ‘Multi Layered’

Shafqat Ali Khan, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that relations between Kabul and Islamabad are multi layered.

Ali Khan said that officials from both countries are in contact to address the challenges between Kabul and Islamabad.

The spokesperson said: “We have long standing relations. It’s an important neighbor. And both countries understand the importance of this equation and importance of good relations between two neighbors. One of the key problems right now is the sanctuaries which the terrorist group TTP enjoys on the Afghan soil. We will continue to engage with Afghan authorities that they have to address this genuine concern from Pakistan.”

“Pakistan showed some flexibility and realized that Afghanistan, as an independent country, does not interfere in the internal affairs of other nations. Afghan officials also demonstrated readiness to negotiate with Pakistan; however, the issue of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is an internal matter for Pakistan,” said Zuhoruddin Zaheer, a political analyst.

The spokesperson for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, responding to a question about Wakhan, stated that his country recognizes Afghanistan’s sovereignty and dismissed reports about its annexation to Pakistan as baseless.

He further said: “Wakhan is a part of Afghan territory. Afghanistan is a neighbor of Pakistan. We recognize its sovereignty and territorial integrity. There is no question of Pakistan having designs on one of its neighbors, the question doesn’t arise. So I would deem this assertion too speculative and totally erroneous.”