Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan, has dismissed recent comments by the Taliban’s Minister of Energy and Water as being “contrary to common sense, history, and facts.”
The Taliban minister, Abdul Latif Mansoor, had claimed in an interview published Thursday that “some of our neighbors, especially Pakistan, do not want a government in Afghanistan.” He alleged that Islamabad does not seek an independent, self-sufficient, and strong Afghan government, and instead fuels internal divisions to advance its political and economic interests.
Khan said Islamabad will raise the matter with Taliban officials, stressing, “No country has as direct an interest in Afghanistan’s stability as Pakistan.”
He reiterated that terrorism emanating from Afghanistan remains central to Pakistan’s talks with the Taliban, and that Pakistani officials have repeatedly urged Kabul to act against militant groups sheltered there.
The spokesperson also claimed Pakistan has evidence of India’s involvement in terrorism on its soil and has shared this information with “friendly countries.”
Regarding Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s planned visit to Islamabad, Khan clarified that no exact date had been agreed upon, so “the issue is not about cancellation or postponement.” He said both sides are working on the matter and that certain issues need resolution before the trip can happen.
Indian outlet CNN-News18 had earlier reported that planned visits by Muttaqi and Taliban Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani to Pakistan were scrapped under U.S. pressure.
The UN Security Council has recently denied travel exemptions for any Taliban officials to visit Pakistan.
