Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andarabi, stated on Friday that trade with Afghanistan will remain suspended until Islamabad receives firm assurances from Kabul.

The crossings “will remain closed until we receive firm assurances from the Afghan side that violence, violent elements, and terrorists from their soil will not cross over into Pakistan to perpetrate the crimes they have committed,” Andarabi said.

He emphasized that the concern is not limited to the TTP, but also includes Afghan nationals involved in attacks inside Pakistan.

The crossings were closed on October 12 following Pakistani airstrikes in Afghanistan and deadly clashes near the Durand Line.

Despite the closure, Pakistan has allowed the return of refugees and the passage of humanitarian assistance.

Islamabad has repeatedly cited militancy as a key reason for restricting movement along the Durand Line and has called for stronger cooperation from Kabul to prevent attacks and ensure regional security.

The Islamic Emirate has, however, has said it cannot be held responsible for security inside Pakistan.

IEA spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid recently said that trade routes will reopen when strong assurances are obtained from the Pakistani government that it will not use closure as a mean to apply political pressure.

Australia on Saturday announced financial sanctions and travel bans on four senior officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), citing what it described as a worsening human rights situation in the country, particularly for women and girls.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the targeted officials were involved “in the oppression of women and girls and in undermining good governance or the rule of law.”

Australia had been part of the NATO-led international mission in Afghanistan before withdrawing its troops in August 2021.

Wong said the sanctions target three IEA ministers and the IEA’s chief justice, accusing them of restricting women’s and girls’ access to education, employment, freedom of movement, and participation in public life.

The officials include Mohammad Khalid Hanafi, Minister for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice; Neda Mohammad Nadeem, Minister of Higher Education; Abdul Hakim Sharei, Minister of Justice; and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani.

According to Wong, the measures fall under Australia’s new sanctions framework, which allows Canberra to “directly impose its own sanctions and travel bans to increase pressure on the Taliban (IEA), targeting the oppression of the Afghan people.”

Responding to the announcement, Saif-ul-Islam Khaibar, spokesperson for the Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, criticized the sanctions.

He claimed that countries imposing such measures “are themselves violators of women’s rights” and called Australia’s move an insult to the religious and cultural values of Afghans.

Khaibar added that the IEA has “stopped rights violations of hundreds of thousands of women over the past four years.”

During Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to New Delhi, India and Russia issued a joint statement highlighting their close coordination on Afghanistan. Both sides appreciated the ongoing dialogue between their respective Security Councils and underscored the significance of the Moscow Format meetings in promoting regional stability.

The leaders welcomed counter-terrorism efforts targeting international terrorist groups, including ISIS, ISKP, and their affiliates, expressing confidence in a comprehensive and effective approach to combating terrorism in Afghanistan. They also stressed the urgent need to ensure uninterrupted humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people.

India and Russia have maintained close ties on regional security, particularly concerning developments in Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021. The Moscow Format, a diplomatic platform including Afghanistan’s neighbors, has played a key role in facilitating dialogue on peace, stability, and counter-terrorism in the region.