Pakistan will not accept terrorism originating from Afghan soil, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday. He urged the Afghan Taliban authorities to prevent militant groups from using Afghanistan to carry out attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to act against these groups could eventually have serious consequences for Afghanistan itself.
Addressing a seminar in Islamabad, Dar described terrorism as one of the biggest challenges facing Pakistan, the region and the international community. He said Pakistan had made enormous sacrifices in the fight against terrorism, losing more than 90,000 lives. He added that terrorism had also caused severe economic damage and affected the country’s international reputation.
Dar said the government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, was working to eliminate terrorism through a renewed strategy. Law enforcement agencies were conducting operations against militants, while the armed forces remained committed to improving security. He stressed that every province must contribute to counterterrorism efforts.
The foreign minister said Pakistan had repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to ensure their territory was not used for terrorist activities. He also referred to diplomatic visits and discussions aimed at addressing the issue. According to Dar, a trilateral meeting involving Pakistan, China and Afghanistan was held in Kabul in August 2025, but Afghan authorities had not fulfilled their commitments regarding terrorism.
He expressed concern over the presence of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant groups in Afghanistan. Dar said cross-border infiltration had resulted in attacks on Pakistani security personnel and civilians. He also alleged that the plan to hijack the Jaffar Express had been prepared on Afghan soil.
Dar called on the Afghan Taliban administration to immediately stop providing militants with weapons and other forms of support. He said the federal and provincial governments must work together to address the root causes of terrorism. He also highlighted the importance of the government’s Azm-e-Istehkam initiative, which was approved following consultations with provinces and other stakeholders.
Reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to ending terrorism, Dar said the country continued to inform the international community about its counterterrorism operations. He maintained that action against militant groups was also in Afghanistan’s own interest. Dar further accused India of supporting terrorism in Pakistan and referred to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav. These allegations reflect Pakistan’s stated position on regional security.
