Former Pakistani Leader Urges Immediate Dialogue Between Kabul and Islamabad to Ease Tensions
Seraj-ul-Haq, former leader of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami, has called for the immediate start of diplomatic talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan to reduce recent tensions, stressing that continued conflict will harm both countries.
According to Pakistani media, he spoke at a meeting titled “Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict and Its Regional Consequences,” stating that the escalation of tensions primarily harms the Pashtun people on both sides of the Durand Line and puts further pressure on the fragile economies of both countries. The Durand Line, a remnant of British colonial times, has long been a central point of dispute between Kabul and Islamabad.
Seraj-ul-Haq also warned that some foreign powers might benefit from ongoing instability between the two countries and may not be interested in fostering a climate of trust and calm among these Muslim neighbors. He emphasized that “dialogue is the only way forward” and that all disputes should be resolved through negotiation and political engagement.
At the same meeting, Muhammad Ali Saif, a senior leader of Pakistan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, criticized Islamabad’s management of relations with Kabul, saying the lack of effective diplomatic channels has increased mistrust. He added that the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan do not want war and that authorities on both sides must take concrete steps to immediately reduce tensions.
While relations between Kabul and Islamabad have experienced many ups and downs, many experts believe that the Taliban administration also bears responsibility to prevent rising tensions by engaging in active and transparent diplomacy and to create conditions for sustainable regional cooperation; as ongoing disputes inflict the greatest harm upon ordinary people in both countries.
The speakers at the meeting concluded by emphasizing that regional peace and stability depend on sustained cooperation and relations based on mutual respect between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
