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Pakistan summons Afghan envoy amid rising tensions
Islamabad has summoned the Ambassador of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan to Pakistan, Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, over concerns regarding the growing activity of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).
Pakistani media reported that the envoy was called to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday, where officials pressed Kabul to cut all ties with TTP and take stronger steps against the group’s activities inside Afghanistan.
The summons comes as TTP-linked attacks along Pakistan’s border and within its territory continue to raise Islamabad’s security concerns, further straining relations between the two neighbors.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, however, highlighted in an interview with Al Jazeera that relations between the two countries have improved in recent months.
He recalled his April 19 visit to Kabul, where discussions covered trade, economy, refugees, and political issues, noting that by June 30, all decisions made during the visit were implemented, with Afghan officials acknowledging Pakistan’s efforts.
Two days ago, former U.S. Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, called on Pakistan to abandon its current military-centric approach to dealing with the TTP and instead pursue a political settlement to end the ongoing conflict.
In a strongly worded statement posted on social media, Khalilzad warned that the ongoing violence between Pakistan’s security forces and TTP militants has reached a “dangerous point,” with mounting casualties and no clear military solution in sight.
“The time has come to shift to a political strategy and negotiate,” Khalilzad wrote, adding that “Afghanistan must help Pakistan with such negotiations.”
The Islamic Emirate has not officially responded to the summons or Dar’s remarks but Afghan officials have repeatedly rejected claims of TTP’s presence in Afghanistan, arguing that such accusations are an attempt to deflect attention from Pakistan’s own internal security problems.
Some Afghan analysts maintain that Islamabad’s approach to counterterrorism remains inconsistent.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has announced that the long-delayed demarcation and renovation of border markers along the Afghanistan–Iran frontier will officially begin in the near future.
According to a statement from the ministry, Noori made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Ali-Reza Bikdeli.
He assured the Iranian side that the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to accelerating the process and resolving any challenges that may arise during implementation.
In a separate statement, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Bikdeli underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on border issues, describing it as a key factor in strengthening and expanding overall relations between the two countries.
Officials from both sides agreed nearly three months ago to resume the border-marker renovation project, which had remained stalled for the past seven years.
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