Pakistan says diplomatic channels with Afghanistan open, seeks written assurances against terrorism

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Thursday diplomatic channels with Afghanistan remain active, with ongoing contacts between the two neighbouring countries.

Speaking at a weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi stressed that Pakistan does not interfere in Afghanistan’s internal affairs, but reiterated that terrorism emanating from Afghan soil remains Islamabad’s primary concern.

“Incidents of terrorism emanating from Afghanistan are a primary concern for Pakistan. Our demand is that Afghan territory should not be used against Pakistan,” Andrabi said.

He added that Islamabad is seeking written, verifiable, and concrete assurances from Afghan authorities to dismantle terrorist groups and prevent the use of Afghan soil for militant activities. “Without these written commitments, the issue of terrorism cannot be resolved,” he emphasized.

The spokesperson noted that addressing terrorism would open the door to a significant improvement in bilateral relations, adding that Pakistan and Afghanistan have no other major disputes.

The Islamic Emirate has repeatedly called Pakistan’s claims baseless and added that Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

Relations between Islamabad and Kabul deteriorated sharply in October 2025 following one of the deadliest military escalations in recent years. Although a ceasefire was announced on October 19, trade has yet to resume.

On Afghanistan’s regional role, Andrabi said the country has strong potential to become a regional hub, stressing that ending terrorism would benefit Afghanistan itself as well as the wider region.