Following a recent joint statement issued by India and Afghanistan aimed at fostering better bilateral ties, Pakistan has formally communicated its “strong reservations” regarding specific points within the statement. These concerns extend to remarks made by Afghanistan’s interim foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, during his recent visit to New Delhi.
The Pakistani foreign ministry specifically criticized the mention of Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India within the joint statement. They declared this inclusion to be a “clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.” Pakistan indicated that these objections were formally communicated to the Additional Foreign Secretary overseeing West Asia and Afghanistan.
In the joint statement, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had expressed gratitude to Afghanistan for its strong condemnation of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which resulted in 26 fatalities. The statement, dated October 10, had emphasized, “Both sides unequivocally condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries. They underscored the importance of promoting peace, stability, and mutual trust in the region.”
Beyond the joint statement, Pakistan also took issue with comments attributed to Amir Khan Muttaqi during his stay in India, particularly his assertion that terrorism is an internal matter for Pakistan.
The Pakistani foreign ministry asserted that it had provided details concerning terrorist elements operating from Afghan territory against Pakistan. They further stated, “It was emphasized that by deflecting the responsibility of controlling terrorism towards Pakistan cannot absolve the interim Afghan government of ensuring peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
These statements from Pakistan follow remarks made by Muttaqi a day prior, where he condemned recent explosions in Afghanistan and implicated Pakistan, while also affirming that Afghan soil would never be utilized for terrorism. Muttaqi was quoted by news agency ANI as saying, “We consider this act of Pakistan wrong. Problems cannot be solved like this… We have kept the door to discussion open. They should solve their problem on their own. Afghanistan has peace and progress after 40 years.”
Responding to concerns about the presence of unauthorized Afghan nationals in Pakistan, the Pakistan foreign ministry clarified that such individuals cannot remain in the country, asserting its authority to regulate foreign nationals.
This diplomatic exchange occurred during the first high-level engagement since the Taliban’s assumption of power in Afghanistan in 2021. During his visit, Muttaqi met with S Jaishankar in New Delhi. Muttaqi had previously assured that Afghanistan would not permit any group to use its territory against other nations, and both India and Afghanistan had jointly condemned all acts of terrorism. He had stated, “I am happy to be in Delhi, and this visit will increase the understanding between the two countries. India and Afghanistan should increase their engagements and exchanges… We will not allow any group to use our territory against others.” The minister’s visit was facilitated by a temporary travel exemption granted by the UN Security Council Committee.