ISLAMABAD Pakistan’s determination to resolve unresolved issues through discussion is demonstrated by recent contacts with Afghanistan, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.
Recent meetings are “an expression of Pakistan’s interest in dialogue to resolve any issues that arise from time to time and to find constructive approach and solutions to issues, including issues that are of serious concern to Pakistan,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said during a weekly media briefing.
Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb, the Afghan chargé d’affaires, met with Ishaq Dar, the foreign minister and deputy prime minister, last week. The meeting came shortly after Taliban Defense Minister Mullah Yaqoob and Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Kabul, Obaid Nizamani, met.
Following a period of stress brought on by Pakistani accusations that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was granted sanctuaries on Afghan territory, the two sides appeared to be getting ready to resume their engagement at the back-to-back sessions.
FO denounces Israeli abuses of Syria’s territorial integrity.
Last week, spokeswoman Baloch stated that the bilateral agenda’s primary priority was counterterrorism.
The spokeswoman attempted to deny any connection between the two encounters during this week’s briefing, stating that the Afghan diplomat’s encounter with Ishaq Dar was a courtesy visit that the Afghan side had requested some time ago.
She did, however, stress that Islamabad has consistently supported engagement and fruitful communication between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Pakistan’s concerns regarding the terror groups that have found hideouts inside Afghanistan and are operating with impunity against Pakistan remain on the agenda between Pakistan and Afghanistan,” the spokesperson said, echoing fears about TTP sanctuaries on Afghan soil. To address these problems, we have always placed a strong focus on communication. Afghanistan is expected to make sure that Pakistan’s security is not threatened by these terrorist organizations.
The sovereignty of Syria
The FO spokesperson stated that Pakistan demanded an inclusive and all-encompassing mechanism to resolve the Syrian situation and expressed worry over Israel’s infringement of Syria’s sovereignty.
She declared, “We fully support Syria’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.”
After Bashar al-Assad’s administration fell, Israel invaded Syria, advancing farther into the Golan Heights, and has since attacked almost 500 military targets throughout Syria.
Armed insurgents took over the capital city of Damascus on December 8, signaling a dramatic shift in the 13-year-old civil conflict in Syria. President Assad, who had held onto power for years despite the fighting, was forced to leave the nation after Damascus was taken.
The FO spokeswoman stated that Pakistan supports attempts to find a comprehensive solution to the Syrian problem, adding, “We are monitoring the developments in Syria and are concerned about the escalation of violence.”
She went on to say that the answer need to align with the goals of the Syrian people.
The Syrian people have the right to choose their own course in life and to decide their own future. Additionally, we back initiatives for an inclusive political process as outlined in UN Security Council resolution 2254, which was overwhelmingly adopted,” the spokeswoman underlined.
