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.

The spokesperson of the Islamic Emirate announced on Thursday that Abdul Latif Mansour, the former Minister of Energy and Water, has been appointed as the new Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

Mohammad Younus Akhundzada, the former Minister of Rural Rehabilitation and Development, has been appointed as the new Minister of Energy and Water.

Meanwhile, Abdul Haq Hamkar, who previously served as Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Public Works, has been appointed as Director General of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, the country’s national power utility.

Mohammad Younis Rashid, the former Deputy Minister for Youth Affairs at the Ministry of Information and Culture, has been appointed as Deputy Minister for Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Public Works.

Abdul Bari Omar, the former Director General of Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, has been appointed as Head of Protocol at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The appointments were made by order of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Emirate.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has confirmed the death of one of its staff members in Afghanistan following a road traffic accident in Islam Qala, western Herat province.

In a statement released on Tuesday, the IRC said the staff member was killed while returning home from duty. Two other IRC employees were seriously injured in the incident and have been transferred to hospital, where they are currently receiving medical treatment.

The humanitarian organization expressed deep sorrow over the loss, describing frontline staff as central to its mission, particularly in Afghanistan where many vulnerable communities live in remote and hard-to-reach areas.

“The IRC is devastated by the loss of our colleague,” the statement said, adding that staff working on the front lines play a critical role in delivering life-saving assistance to people most in need.

The IRC said it is providing support to the family of the deceased staff member, as well as to the injured colleagues and their families, and is extending assistance to its wider team during this difficult time.

The International Rescue Committee has been operating in Afghanistan since 1988 and currently works with thousands of communities across nine provinces. The organization delivers a wide range of humanitarian and development services, including health care, education, cash assistance, water and sanitation support, emergency shelter, livelihood programs and resilience initiatives aimed at helping communities recover from conflict and natural disasters.