Pakistan Says Taliban Administration Has Not Cooperated to Ease Tensions With Islamabad

Pakistan’s foreign ministry spokesman says mediation efforts by regional countries to reduce tensions between Islamabad and Kabul have so far failed because of what he described as a lack of cooperation from the Taliban administration, a situation Pakistani officials say has cast a shadow over political and security ties as well as trade and transit between the two sides.

Sajjad Haider Khan, spokesman for Pakistan’s foreign ministry, said the “lack of willingness from the Afghan side” had blocked progress. He added that in the past year Pakistan had twice engaged with the Taliban administration through mediation by regional countries, but according to him, Kabul’s response was not positive.

He also said the Taliban administration had given Pakistan no assurances that it would prevent terrorist activity against the country from Afghan soil. According to Haider Khan, providing such guarantees is of fundamental importance to Islamabad.

The foreign ministry spokesman also said, in reference to the resumption of trade and transit between the two countries, that Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had put forward proposals to resolve existing problems during his visit to Kabul last year. He added that, in return, Islamabad expected action from the Afghan side to stop the activities of armed groups hostile to Pakistan.

Haider Khan also said, in response to a question about the visit of the head of Turkey’s intelligence service and the deputy secretary of Qatar’s National Security Council to Kabul, that he did not have precise details about the trip. However, he said Turkey and Qatar had previously played a constructive role in mediation efforts between Pakistan and the Taliban administration.

According to him, Pakistan has used the capacities of several countries, including Qatar, Turkey and China, to advance the peace process, but these efforts have not come to full fruition because of what was described as a lack of cooperation from the Afghan side.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have repeatedly been strained in recent years over security disputes, the activities of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and border issues. At various times, these tensions have also affected movement through border crossings, bilateral trade and goods transit.