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Is a war between a Taliban based Afghanistan and Pakistan a possibility?

Imran planned to settle TTP fighters in ex-Fata

• PTI chairman says KP police ill-equipped to counter militants armed with modern weaponry
• Claims Wazirabad JIT members being ‘pressurised’ to disown findings

ISLAMABAD: As he war*ned against the dangers of destabilisation in Afgha*nis*tan, former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday revealed that his governm*ent had planned to resettle banned Tehreek-i-Tali*ban fighters in Pakistan’s tribal districts with the help of the Afghan Taliban, but the plan hit a snag owing to non-cooperation of provinces.

Speaking during a seminar organised by the Khy*ber Pakhtunkhwa governm*ent on terrorism in the federal capital, the PTI chairman said that the gov**e*r*n*ment had planned to relocate at least 5,000 TTP fighters and their family members which amount to about 35,000. But the plan did not materialise as provinces refused to foot the bill, he added.

Initially, Sindh and Balo*ch*istan refused to give 3 per cent share from Natio*nal Finance Commission (NFC) for the uplift of tribal districts and then the federal government stop*ped its cooperation after the PTI’s ouster, he claimed.

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1731063/imran-planned-to-settle-ttp-fighters-in-ex-fata
 
The big issue with the war addicted lunatics ie. Taliban is that they are armed with a lot of left over Western weaponry. Must be itching for a fight.
 
Their whole purpose is to fight. To survive they always have to be in a state of war. We all know they can’t govern. So need a distraction
 
Islamabad in quiet diplomacy with Kabul to neutralise TTP
Afghan interim set-up adamant on pursuing talks with group

Pakistan is quietly encouraging the Afghan Taliban government to neutralise the threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) which in recent months stepped up terrorist attacks inside the country.

But what has emerged so far from those efforts is that the interim government in Kabul is still sticking to its earlier stance that the only way to resolve the TTP problem was through dialogue, according to official sources familiar with the development.

At the request of the Afghan Taliban, Pakistan pursued peace talks with the terror outfit. Initially, talks produced some results as the group agreed to a ceasefire in return for Pakistan allowing certain TTP members to return home. But talks collapsed after the process could not move forward.

Meanwhile, despite the announcement of a ceasefire, TTP continued to target security officials, ramping up their attacks in recent months. In the last three months alone, the TTP claimed responsibility for over 150 terrorist attacks.

...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2396165/islamabad-in-quiet-diplomacy-with-kabul-to-neutralise-ttp
 
Islamabad’s I-10 suicide bomber got training in Afghanistan, investigation reveals

The suicide bomber, who blew himself up in the capital last month got trained in Afghanistan before conducting the attack, Dawn has learnt.

Sources close to the investigation of the bomb blast in the capital’s sector I-10/4 on Dec 23 said that the bomber received his militancy training in Afghanistan in 2022. After the training, he returned from Afghanistan in late 2022 and stayed in Parachinar in Kurram Agency, they added.

Before reaching the capital on Dec 23, the suicide bomber moved different localities, including Hangu where he stayed with a facilitator who brought him to the capital in the morning at Pirwadhai Bus Terminal, they added.

The facilitator watched the bomber board a taxi and later he left from the spot, the sources said.

The investigation revealed that he was wearing a bag pack, carrying the explosives, the sources said, adding it is yet to be established whether the bag was given to him or whether he travelled with it.

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1732176/i...training-in-afghanistan-investigation-reveals
 
I have faith in Asim Munir handling terrorism in Pak. Things seemed tto have improved over the weeks since he was appointed much to the disappointment of a neighbouring country. I think Pak jets bombed Afghanistan to tell them that we meant what we said. That is the only way left to deal with them.
 
PakLFC said:
I have faith in Asim Munir handling terrorism in Pak. Things seemed tto have improved over the weeks since he was appointed much to the disappointment of a neighbouring country. I think Pak jets bombed Afghanistan to tell them that we meant what we said. That is the only way left to deal with them.
Click to expand...

Taliban are used to air raids and deadbodies. Just another run of the mill working week for them. Dying and killing are what they do best.
 
shortbread said:
Taliban are used to air raids and deadbodies. Just another run of the mill working week for them. Dying and killing are what they do best.
Click to expand...

Then we must continue to bomb them wherever they are hiding. No other way to deal wit these fanatics.
 
Afghan conundrum baffles policymakers
Officials say Islamabad keen to sort out issues through diplomatic and relevant channels

Pakistan is weighing its options to deal with the resurgence of terrorism with a focus on how to ensure that the Afghan interim government fulfils its promises, people familiar with the development have said.

It is evident from background discussions with the relevant quarters that Pakistan is increasingly frustrated over the lack of cooperation from the Afghan Taliban in tackling the growing threat posed by the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

The deadliest attack in Peshawar in a decade has shaken the country’s policymakers and sent shockwaves among the public who fear the return of dark days of the war on terror. While Pakistan contemplates options, what is known so far is that the country’s decision-makers have limited choices in dealing with the Afghan Taliban.

“We do have certain leverages. But frankly [speaking] using those leverages will only exacerbate the problem,” said an official, while requesting anonymity, on Wednesday.

Unlike other attacks, the banned TTP has denied its involvement in the suicide bombing at a mosque in the Peshawar Police Lines though one of its commanders initially did take the responsibility. Observers believe that it was possible that the TTP retracted the statement or did not own the Peshawar attack because the Afghan Taliban publicly condemned that Police Lines incident.

...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2398952/afghan-conundrum-baffles-policymakers
 
PakLFC said:
Then we must continue to bomb them wherever they are hiding. No other way to deal wit these fanatics.
Click to expand...

why is that when USA was doing the same thing, most of you whined about it?
 
The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that Pakistan expected “sincere cooperation” from the interim Afghan government to address the “challenge of terrorism”.

The remarks come a day after Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Pakistan should not put the blame for the Peshawar suicide bombing on Kabul.

On Jan 30, a powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Red Zone area where between 300 and 400 people — mostly police officers — had gathered for prayers. The suicide blast blew away the wall of the prayer hall and an inner roof and claimed 101 lives.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) initially claimed responsibility for the attack. It later distanced itself from it but sources earlier indicated that it might have been the handiwork of some local faction of the outlawed group.

According to TOLO News, the Afghan FM said there “is no terrorist base in Afghanistan and the county’s soil will not be used against other countries”.

“We ask Pakistan’s ministers to not throw the snow of their own roofs onto the roofs of others. They should consider their problems in their own country. We advise them to look into the Peshawar explosion in great detail,” Muttaqi added.

Commenting on the matter during a weekly press briefing, FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Pakistan had seen the statement by Muttaqi.

“Pakistan expects sincere cooperation from the interim Afghan government to address the challenge of terrorism and hopes that Kabul would live up to the commitments made to the international community in this regard,” she said.

“We take loss of innocent lives very seriously and would expect our neighbours to do the same,” she said.

“Terrorism is a common threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. We must take a strong stance against entities that use violence against innocent citizens and law enforcement agencies.”

“We remain firm in our resolve to root out the evil of terrorism and safeguard the security of every citizen. We do not believe in accusations or finger pointing; however, we would reiterate our expectation that no country would allow its territory to be used for perpetrating terrorism against Pakistan.

“It is time the commitments made to the world and Pakistan are fulfilled with sincerity and in good faith with concrete actions,” she said.

Over the past few months, terrorism has been rearing its head again in the country, especially in KP and Balochistan. Pakistan has seen a rise in terrorist attacks across the country, believed to have been planned and directed by the TTP leaders based in Afghanistan.

The TTP, which has ideological linkages with the Afghan Taliban, executed more than 100 attacks last year, most of which happened after August when the group’s peace talks with the Pakistan government began to falter. The ceasefire was formally ended last year on Nov 28 by the TTP.

DAWN
 
Pakistan ambassador to UN clears the air regarding Pashtun culture remarks
Munir Akram says no disrespect meant to Pashtun culture which is highly progressive and deserves full respect across world

After receiving backlash from the Pashtun community in Pakistan and Afghanistan for relating restrictions by the Afghan government on women with the Pashtun culture, Pakistan’s envoy to the United Nations Munir Akram issued a clarification for his remarks.

Ambassador Akram made the comments at the humanitarian briefing on Afghanistan at the UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday.

“The restrictions that have been put by the Afghan interim government flow not so much from a religious perspective as from a peculiar cultural perspective of the Pashtun culture, which requires women to be kept at home,” he had said at the UN briefing.

"And this is a peculiar, distinctive cultural reality of Afghanistan which has not changed for hundreds of years," said Ambassador Akram.

The envoy explained that his comments were referring to a "peculiar perspective" of a small minority that has resulted in restrictions on women and not the Pashtun culture.

Akram said that he regrets if his remarks were misunderstood or hurt anyone's feelings. "There was no disrespect meant to the Pashtun culture which is highly progressive and deserves full respect all across the world," he explained.

He said that the point made by him was that these "restrictions are not consistent with Islam and the Sharia – which provides all rights to women, including to work and education."

He underlined that Pakistan, consistent with its policy, has conveyed its opposition to the restrictions on women to the Afghan interim government.

...
The News PK
 
Major said:
why is that when USA was doing the same thing, most of you whined about it?
Click to expand...

Coz the USA came from so far to bomb Afghanistan effecting us who are next door to them. Us bombing terrorists in Afghanistan does not effect the American's in any way. The Afghan's can not reach America to avenge what we do.
 
PakLFC said:
Coz the USA came from so far to bomb Afghanistan effecting us who are next door to them. Us bombing terrorists in Afghanistan does not effect the American's in any way. The Afghan's can not reach America to avenge what we do.
Click to expand...

wait what?
 
Lets hope not. Its exactly what the US will want. Occupying Pakistan with Afghanistan will free up India to deal with China on behalf of the US.
 
Taliban shut Torkham border for ‘breach of commitments’

The Afg*han Taliban authorities on Sunday closed down one of the main trading and border crossing points with Pakistan, accusing Islam*abad of reneging on its commitments.

The Afghan Taliban commissioner for Torkham said the border point had been closed down for travel and transit trade.

“Pakistan has not abided by its commitments and so the gateway has been shut down on the directions of (our) leadership,” Taliban commissioner at Torkham Maulavi Mohammad Siddique tweeted.

He advised the people of Afghanistan to avoid travelling to the border crossing in eastern Nangrahar province.

However, the Taliban official didn’t specify the commitment Islamabad allegedly breached. Some unconfirmed media rep*orts suggested the Taliban were irked by an unannounced ban on tra*vel of Afghan patients seeking treatment in Pakistan.

There was no immediate official word from Foreign Office in Islamabad.

DAWN
 
Pakistan and Afghanistan exchanged fire on the Torkham border on Monday, leaving a border guard injured.

The Afghan Taliban on Sunday shut the border crossing, accusing ******tan of reneging on its commitments.

Irshad Momand, a distr*ict administration official in Landi Kotal told Dawn that Pakistan responded to “unprovoked” firing from the Afghan side.

People living near the border crossing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed that a heavy exchange of fire continued for over an hour.

Dawn
 
A key border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan remained closed for a third day, with thousands of goods vehicles stuck and businesses facing losses as officials from both sides try to broker a solution.

Taliban authorities on Sunday closed Torkham, the main point of transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan.

"The closure of the border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan has been causing losses to traders of the two countries. There are long queues of heavy trucks stranded on both sides of the border," said Zia-ul-Haq Sarhadi, director of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said up to 6,000 trucks loaded with goods had been stuck on both sides since Sunday.

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/worl...sedgntp&cvid=380fe41a46a84fe48428e84df43191f2
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A high-ranking delegation led by the Minister for Defence is in Kabul today to meet with officials of the Afghan Interim Government to discuss security related matters including counter terrorism measures.</p>— Spokesperson &#55356;&#56821;&#55356;&#56816; MoFA (@ForeignOfficePk) <a href="https://twitter.com/ForeignOfficePk/status/1628328560359272449?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
Kabul willing to help address TTP sanctuaries issue

The Afghan Taliban on Wednesday promised to cooperate with the Pakistan government on its concerns about the presence of the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) fighters and sanctuaries on its soil after Islamabad delivered a stark warning on the issue.

The Foreign Office in a statement issued after a day-long trip by a delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif to Kabul said growing TTP and IS-K threat was discussed and “the two sides agreed to collaborate to effectively address the threat of terrorism”.

The delegation among others included ISI Chief Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum, Foreign Secretary Asad Majid, Special Envoy on Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq and Pakistan’s chargé d’affaires in Afghanistan Obaid Nizamani, who has been here since the gun attack on him on Dec 3.

The visit took place days after the TTP gunmen raided the police headquarters in Karachi in which four people including three security personnel lost their lives. Earlier a suicide bomb explosion in Peshawar mosque on Jan 30 claimed nearly 100 lives. The TTP was blamed for the mosque attack as well.

Pakistan has witnessed a surge in TTP violence since peace talks between the militant group and the government began to falter in the later half of last year. The TTP formally ended ceasefire on November 28 and since then 58 attacks have been claimed by the group in which 170 people died.

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1738650/kabul-willing-to-help-address-ttp-sanctuaries-issue
 
Pakistan has presented “irrefutable evidence” to the Afghan Taliban about the presence of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts and precise location of its leadership in Afghanistan, sources told The Express Tribune on Thursday.

The evidence was shared during the visit of a high-powered delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to Kabul on Wednesday.

Contrary to the statement issued by the Afghan government, the visit had only one point agenda focusing on counter terrorism and presence of the TTP sanctuaries on the Afghan soil.

It was the first high-level visit from Pakistan since the change of government and particularly after the surge in TTP sponsored terrorist attacks.
 
PESHAWAR POLICE LINES BLAST WAS PLANNED IN AFGHANISTAN: CTD

The Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) on Friday said the Peshawar Police Lines blast was planned in Afghanistan by the Jamatul Ahrar group of proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), ARY News reported.

A powerful explosion ripped through a mosque in Peshawar’s Police Line area on Jan 30 during Zuhr prayers, killing 84 people and injuring 235 people — mostly police officers.

Addressing a press conference CTD Peshawar additional IG Shaukat Abbas said the mastermind of the Peshawar blast has been traced.

...
https://arynews.tv/peshawar-police-lines-blast-planned-afghanistan-by-ttp-ctd/
 
Taliban GDI team quietly visits Islamabad
A source in Kabul said that the 10-member delegation led by DGI chief assured Pakistan of addressing its concerns

An Afghan Taliban delegation, comprising intelligence and security officials, quietly visited Islamabad recently to discuss a way forward towards addressing Pakistan’s concerns regarding the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), sources said on Monday.

Taliban ranks in Kabul also confirmed that a mid-level delegation led by Abdullah Ghazanavi, the head of the General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI), travelled to Pakistan for discussion on the TTP and threats to Pakistan.

The sources said the visit was a follow-up of last month’s trip to Kabul by a high-powered delegation led by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif.

The delegation received a briefing on the steps taken by the Afghan government to deal with the TTP.

The Pakistani delegation, however, deemed those steps unsatisfactory and sought concerted actions.

Pakistan also confronted the Afghan Taliban leadership with proofs about the whereabouts of the TTP leadership.

During its stay in Islamabad, the sources said, the Afghan delegation met with the relevant authorities to discuss the security situation and the fate of the TTP and its affiliates.

A source in Kabul with the knowledge of matter told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity that the delegation, comprising 10 members form the Taliban’s GDI, visited Islamabad last week.

...
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2407267/taliban-gdi-team-quietly-visits-islamabad
 
If this is the case - then Pakistan needs to take action?

==

After the United States pulled out its troops from Afghanistan, it left behind military equipment and weapons worth $7 billion which later boosted the military capabilities of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Baloch separatist groups.

According to a report by Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFERL), the US left behind weapons and equipment, including firearms, communications gear, and even armored vehicles which gave the militants a “vast war chest”.

Pakistan always desired not to indulge in blame game with Afghanistan and had repeatedly urged the interim Afghan government to establish its writ in the country.

The RFERL report rejected Kabul’s claims that the TTP was not using the Afghan soil against Pakistan as the presence of the TTP, Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K) and other terrorist groups in Afghanistan was an undeniable reality.

The report said that using the US weapons and equipment, both the TTP and Baloch separatist groups were waging insurgencies against the government in Pakistan, which witnessed a surge in violence over the past two years.

“These weapons have added to the lethality of such groups,” Asfandyar Mir, a senior analyst at the United States Institute of Peace, said.

Experts said armed groups had obtained advanced US weapons and equipment like M16 machine guns and M4 assault rifles, night-vision goggles, and military communication gear.

Abdul Sayed, a Sweden-based researcher who tracks the TTP, said the group’s access to sophisticated combat weapons had had a “terrifying” impact, especially on the lesser-equipped police force in Pakistan.

According to the Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies (PIPS), a think tank in Islamabad, the number of terrorist attacks in the country increased by 27 per cent last year compared to 2021. At least 419 people were killed, while 734 injured in 262 terrorist attacks last year.

The Taliban spokesperson however rejected claims that it had supplied the TTP fighters with US weapons and equipment.

“If some weapons are being smuggled, they are far fewer and not of much concern,” the report quoted Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesperson, as saying.

Express Tribune
 
Defence has received the largest share of funds in Afghanistan's budget as the Taliban government aims to boost forces by a third and build anti-aircraft missile capacity, the army chief told Reuters in a rare interview to foreign media.

The defence ambitions of the Taliban, which took over in 2021, come in the face of strong international criticism of its policies, such as restrictions on work and education for women, that have hampered steps towards diplomatic recognition.

In his remarks on Tuesday, Qari Fasihuddin Fitrat, a Taliban commander from the northern region of Badakhshan and the chief of army staff, condemned incursions by foreign drones into Afghan airspace.

Defence forces now numbering 150,000 are targeted to be increased by 50,000, he said, speaking in his office in the highly fortified defence ministry in Kabul, the capital, although he did not reveal the precise figure of the funds.

"The ministry of defence is the top-ranked in the budget," he said, adding that it received a significantly higher sum than other ministries, as it was a priority in the budget, which is largely funded by boosted tax and customs revenue.

Since their takeover, the Taliban have spent 1-1/2 years building a civilian administration and a national military out of an insurgent force that fought a 20-year war against foreign forces and the previous US-backed Afghan government.

No foreign nation has formally recognised the government, which is battling economic headwinds following sanctions on the banking sector and the cutoff of all development aid.

Fitrat said a major defence focus was securing Afghan airspace against drones and other incursions.

"Anti-aircraft missiles are the need of countries," he said, adding that all nations sought developed weapons to ensure the integrity of their territory and airspace, a problem Afghanistan also faced.

"There is no doubt that Afghanistan is trying, and doing its best, to have it."

But Fitrat declined to elaborate on where authorities were looking to procure anti-aircraft missiles from.

'Neighbouring countries should not let our patience be exhausted'

He also stopped short of naming Pakistan, against which the Taliban administration has regularly protested, accusing its neighbour of allowing drones to enter Afghanistan.

"We are doing our best to find a solution for protection of our airspace. We will work on it by using all our capability," Fitrat added.

"From where we will obtain it is confidential, but we should have it."

Pakistan's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pakistan officials have not confirmed whether its airspace is used for drone access to Afghanistan.

"We have always tried, and will try, to solve the issue using diplomatic ways, and we have done our best to be patient regarding these cases," Fitrat said, but sounded a note of caution.

"Neighbouring countries should not let our patience be exhausted."

Ties between the neighbours have occasionally been tense as Pakistan has accused the Taliban administration of allowing Afghan territory to be used as a haven for militant groups.

Among these is Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has stepped up attacks in Pakistan in recent months.

The Taliban administration denies allowing its territory to be used for attacks on others, however.

There have been border clashes between the forces of both, and analysts say that in the event of conflict escalating, Pakistan's airforce would give it a strong edge.

Fitrat said former security personnel, who form a significant share of Afghanistan's forces, were being paid and treated in the same way as Taliban fighters.

The comments follow concern voiced by international rights groups and the United Nations that some former members of Afghan security forces members were targeted or killed.

While the Taliban have declared a general amnesty for former combatants, saying they would investigate cases of wrongdoing, they have not detailed legal action regarding alleged extrajudicial targeting.

REUTERS
 
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has warned Afghanistan’s Taliban rulers that Islamabad will strike terrorist hideouts inside the neighbouring country if the latter were unable to rein in anti-Pakistan militants.

The minister made the remarks in an inclusive interview with Voice of America published on Wednesday. Asif’s comments come on the back of his earlier statement that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) were using Afghan soil for carrying out attacks in Pakistan.

DAWN
 
Taliban FM to meet Pakistan, China foreign ministers: Media
Taliban’s interim foreign minister gets UN clearance to travel for meeting with counterparts in Pakistan.

A United Nations Security Council committee has agreed to allow the Taliban’s interim foreign minister, Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi, to travel to Pakistan from Afghanistan to meet with Pakistani and Chinese counterparts, according to news reports.

The Reuters news agency reported on Monday that Pakistan’s UN mission requested an exemption for Muttaqi to travel between May 6 and 9 “for a meeting with the foreign ministers of Pakistan and China”.

Muttaqi has long been subjected to a travel ban, asset freeze and arms embargo under UN Security Council sanctions. The UN Security Council committee agreed to allow Muttaqi to travel to Uzbekistan last month for a meeting of the foreign ministers of neighbouring countries of Afghanistan to discuss urgent peace, security, and stability matters.

Afghanistan’s TOLOnews outlet said earlier on Monday that media in Pakistan were reporting on the upcoming visit and that Muttaqi would meet with Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari. Afghanistan’s foreign ministry had not yet commented on the reported trip, according to TOLOnews.

...
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/2/taliban-fm-to-meet-pakistan-china-foreign-ministers-media
 
Imran shifts TTP talks blame, claims army was ‘on board’

PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Thursday claimed the military leadership was fully on board in holding parleys with the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and blamed the incumbent government’s “negligence” for the group’s resurgence.

He was speaking to reporters after attending the hearing in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) on his petitions seeking bail in seven FIRs registered against him at different police stations in the federal capital.

Recently, the military distanced itself from the PTI government’s initiative of holding dialogue with TTP. ISPR chief Maj Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry at his maiden presser recently had said: “Holding dialogue with banned TTP was the decision of the then government of Pakistan and they [previous regime] have openly admitted this as well”.

In response to a question that his government had been blamed for reconciliation with the terrorist outfit that helped them regroup, Mr Khan said the then army chief Qamar Bajwa and ISI director general were part of the decision taken to hold discussion with TTP.

...
https://www.dawn.com/news/1750993/imran-shifts-ttp-talks-blame-claims-army-was-on-board
 
Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi arrived in Islamabad on Friday on a four-day visit for talks on security, economic and trade issues.

Prior to his departure from Kabul, Afghan Foreign Ministry Deputy Spokesman Hafiz Zia Takkal said FM Muttaqi will lead a “comprehensive political and trade delegation”.
 
Torkham border shuts after Pakistan-Afghanistan skirmish
Security sources say Taliban and Pakistani forces exchanged fire but there were no casualties reported

The main point of transit for travellers and goods between Pakistan and landlocked Afghanistan, Torkham border crossing, was closed on Wednesday as security forces from both countries exchanged fire, security sources said.

Local residents reported the sound of gunfire by the Torkham crossing and said people around the busy border area near the Khyber Pass had fled once the firing started.

Security officials from the area, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Taliban and Pakistani forces had exchanged fire but there had not yet been any casualties.

A spokesman for the local government in Afghanistan's Nangahar province, where the crossing is located, and a spokeswoman for Pakistan's foreign office did not immediately respond to request for comment.

Disputes linked to the 2,600 km (1,615 miles) border have been a bone of contention between the neighbours for decades.

The crossing has been closed several times in recent years, including a closure in February that saw thousands of trucks laden with goods stranded on each side of the border for days.

tribune.com.pk

Torkham border shuts after Pakistan-Afghanistan skirmish | The Express Tribune

Security sources say Taliban and Pakistani forces exchanged fire but there were no casualties reported
tribune.com.pk tribune.com.pk
 

FO calls for 'global attention' on US arms left in Afghanistan​

Commenting on the recent clashes along the Pak-Afghan border, the Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson said on Friday that the weapons left in Afghanistan during the US withdrawal require global attention as they had "fallen in the hands of Afghan terrorists".

In a weekly media briefing, spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated that Pakistan's security agencies were determined to eradicate terrorism from the country. She added that Pakistan has informed the interim Afghan government about its concerns regarding the recent incident along the border.

Mumtaz further said that the issue of terrorist attacks from Afghanistan has been raised with the Afghan authorities. “We do not blame anyone but weapons left in Afghanistan require global attention since they have fallen in the hands of terrorist groups now,” she said.

tribune.com.pk

FO calls for 'global attention' on US arms left in Afghanistan | The Express Tribune

Spokesperson says weapons left behind during US withdrawal have 'fallen in hands of Afghan terrorists'
tribune.com.pk tribune.com.pk
 
I don't believe Afghanistan would engage in a conflict with us. Their economy is well-established with substantial reserves, and a significant portion of it relies on Pakistan, making such a scenario unlikely.
 
With no headway in negotiations between Kabul and Islamabad over the issue of a security checkpost on the Afghan side of the border, the Torkham border crossing remained closed for commercial activities and pedestrian movement for the third day on Friday.

Local sources told Dawn that any understanding regarding border reopening hadn’t been reached due to the “hard stance” of the Afghan Taliban’s government in Kabul.

They said that Afghan security officials were uncompromising and didn’t show any flexibility during the ongoing parleys insisting on the establishment of a border check post on their side of the border.

Irshad Ali Momand, a district administration official, told Dawn that things had come to a standstill as the status quo prevailed on the third consecutive day.

Also in the day, a group of civil society activists arranged a peace march in Landi Kotal and demanded authorities of both countries to show the maximum flexibility in the immediate reopening of the border in order to mitigate the sufferings of innocent Afghans.

DAWN
 
Seven terrorists were killed and six critically injured by security forces in an exchange of fire in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Chitral district, according to a press release from the military’s media wing on Sunday.

The Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release said the skirmish took place on Saturday in the district’s general area of Ursoon when “troops effectively engaged terrorists’ location”.

It added that the area was being sanitised to clear it of any terrorists in the vicinity.

“Locals of the area appreciated the operation by the security forces and expressed their full support to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country,” the ISPR said.

The operation had come in the wake of Wednesday’s terrorist attack on two military posts in the Lower Chitral district. At least four security men had embraced martyrdom while more than 16 fighters were killed as militants’ attempts to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan were foiled by troops deployed along the border with Afghanistan.

The outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack through its spokesperson, Mohammad Khorasani.

DAWN
 
Cricket-lion said:
Why wasn't the border fenced properly? Where did the money go?
Click to expand...
That is the biggest question still exists that why Pakistan do not make a fence with Afghan border to stop criminalization like smuggling and free walk throughs for millitants.
 
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday vowed to respond firmly to resurgent terrorism following the terrorist attack on two military posts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Lower Chitral district, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Ahmed Bugti urged the Afghanistan government to abide by the Doha Agreement, which ensures that Afghan soil will not be used against any country.

“The terrorists of TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan] entered from Afghanistan,” he said, vowing that Pakistan would firmly to resurgent terrorism and would defend every inch of the country.

Sarfraz Bugti further said that it was their responsibility to defend every inch of the country, adding that Pakistan Army was giving a befitting response to terrorists.

The interior minister also lauded the people of Chitral for helping Pakistan Army in this ‘crucial time’, vowing that no one will be allowed to disturb peace by force.

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in KP and Balochistan, after the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan ended its ceasefire with the government in November last year.

It is pertinent to mention here that four Pakistan Army soldiers were martyred and 12 terrorists killed in Chitral attack on the Pak-Afghan border.

The Army media wing said that there was information about the terrorists’ movement in Nuristan and Kunar provinces of Afghanistan. The security forces timely action resulted in the killing of 12 terrorists.

A day earlier, Caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani confirmed that Pakistan had issued a demarche to Afghanistan following a terrorist attack in Chitral.

arynews.tv

Pakistan vows befitting response following Chitral attack

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Sunday vowed to respond firmly to resurgent terrorism following the terrorist attack on two military posts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s
arynews.tv arynews.tv
 
McCaul challenges Kirby’s Afghanistan weapons statement.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul expressed strong skepticism about National Security Council Coordinator John Kirby’s recent statement that no weapons were left behind in Afghanistan during the American withdrawal.

During an interview, Congressman McCaul called Kirby’s statement “insane” and pointed to evidence of the contrary.

“You know, John Kirby made the comment that no weapons were left behind, which is insane,” McCaul told Tapper. “There were, you know, $7 billion worth of weapons. And I can show you the tapes of the weapons and the cash that were left behind.”

McCaul’s comments came in response to Kirby’s assertion during a recent press conference that the United States did not leave behind any military equipment for terrorist organizations in Afghanistan.

Kirby maintained that the equipment left behind was intended for the Afghan defense forces.

ARY correspondent Jahanzaib Ali questioned about reports of the $7 billion worth of weapons falling into the hands of terrorists, Kirby reiterated that the military equipment had been handed over to the Afghan defense forces as part of the U.S. mission to strengthen their capacity. He suggested that it was the Afghan forces themselves who had abandoned the equipment.

In addition to his concerns about Kirby’s statement, Chairman McCaul also called for transcribed interviews with White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and State Department spokesperson Ned Price regarding the Afghanistan withdrawal.

“We want to talk to Jen Psaki. You know, the messages she was sending out from the White House were so different from what was happening on the ground,” McCaul stated.

“Ned Price, you know, the State Department, making rosy comments, and we did. You know, we sent letters to have them testify, all giving you a rosy picture while at the same time, what was happening on the ground was very different. I don’t know where this is going to end, Jake, but as a former federal prosecutor, I’m going to follow all the facts.”

Chairman McCaul’s calls for further investigation and testimony aim to shed light on the discrepancies surrounding the Afghanistan withdrawal and the fate of the military equipment left behind.

ARY
 
In a rejoinder to the Afghan government’s statement on the closure of the Torkham border, the Foreign Office (FO) said on Monday that Islamabad expected Kabul to respect its territorial integrity and ensure Afghan soil is not used to launch militant attacks in Pakistan.

The Torkham border was closed on September 6 after at least two people, including a Frontier Corps (FC) official, were injured when a gun battle erupted between Pakistan and Afghan border forces.

A day earlier, a meeting between Pakistani and Afghan border security officials to reach an agreement over the reopening of the border remained inconclusive.

At the same time, however, a statement issued by the Afghan foreign ministry expressed concern over the closure of Torkham gate and termed it contrary to the values of a “good neighbour”.

“As the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan emphasises commitment to resolving issues through understanding and diplomatic dialogue, and considering its economic-centric foreign policy with facilitation of trade and transit at its core, it reminds the Pakistani side that such actions are also detrimental to the trade of Afghanistan, region and national economy of Pakistan too, which is currently dependent on exports to Afghanistan more than ever,” the statement cautioned.

In a statement issued today, FO Spokesperson Spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that the statement by the Afghan foreign ministry had “come as a surprise as the interim Afghan authorities know fully well the reasons for the temporary closure” of the border.

The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan could not accept the construction of any structures by the interim Afghan government inside its territory since this violated the country’s sovereignty.

“These [terrorist] elements are enjoying sanctuaries inside Afghanistan as confirmed by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team in its latest report,” she added.

The FO spokesperson said that Pakistan had always stated that it wished for the border with Afghanistan to be one of peace and amity between the two countries.

“We have welcomed our Afghan brothers and sisters with open arms for decades. Pakistan has continued to exercise restraint and prioritise dialogue in the face of persistent unwarranted provocations by Afghan troops deployed along the Pakistan-Afghanistan Border.

“We expect the Afghan interim authorities to be mindful of Pakistan’s concerns, respect the territorial integrity of Pakistan and ensure that the Afghan territory is not used as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against Pakistan,” the FO spokesperson said.

DAWN
 
America left a lot of weapons in Afghanistan for them to later be used against Pakistan, and that is indeed happening. Even Pakistan has always supported Afghanistan in every way, and today there is still a huge quantity of Afghan refugees here.

Unfortunately, despite this, Afghan elements are being used by anti-Pakistan elements, and they continue to cause harm to Pakistan.
 
This war has been going on for ages. Thankfully, after Khan was ousted from power no one is no talking about opening offices for them in Islamabad.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Monday that Pakistan wants the elimination of banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) hideouts in Afghanistan, ARY News reported.

While talking to the ARY News programme ‘Khabar’, the FO spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said that it is premature to term Pakistan and Afghanistan talks unsuccessful. Baloch clarified that talks with the Afghan government are still underway in which Pakistan shared its reservations.

She said that Pakistan closed its border with Afghanistan after finding evidence of September 6 incidents in border areas including Chitral. She added that the Pakistan-Afghanistan border was temporarily closed and the situation is being closely monitored.

The FO spokesperson said, “Pakistan’s security is our top priority and we want to stop cross-border terrorist attacks. We cannot say about the timeframe of reopening the Torkham border.”

Ms Baloch said that TTP leaders are residing in Afghanistan as per the UN report and several other countries. The ties between both countries will be improved after the elimination of TTP hideouts in Afghanistan.


arynews.tv

Pakistan wants elimination of TTP hideouts in Afghanistan: FO spox

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said Monday that Pakistan wants the elimination of banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan
arynews.tv arynews.tv
 
Menace of Taliban needs to end in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their presence only means backwardness, jahalat and kattar mullas who are stuck in stone ages. One could associate many of Pakistan's struggle to supporting these incompetent thugs for decades. It has only brought bad omen, enormous instability, terrorism and economic/social struggle to Pakistan.
 
Kriketer said:
Menace of Taliban needs to end in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their presence only means backwardness, jahalat and kattar mullas who are stuck in stone ages. One could associate many of Pakistan's struggle to supporting these incompetent thugs for decades. It has only brought bad omen, enormous instability, terrorism and economic/social struggle to Pakistan.
Click to expand...
This is so true.

Unfortunately the powers to be in Pakistan has realized this too late when the chickens came home to roost (aka TTP). I'm not sure how many people in Pakistan realize the menace of Taliban (maybe the do now with TTP's bomb attacks).

Just go back in time in this very forum and see how many people were celebrating when the Taliban came back to power once the US pulled out.
 
Why would they choose a war with Pakistan at a time when their circumstances are improving in comparison to Pakistan's?

I dont think its going to happen!
 
It's stupidity to assume Taliban knows how to govern. It's a warring tribe and they can't stay silent for long. They need to keep fighting and they will. I remember many Pakistanis assuming they will come after Kashmir. But it appears they chose an easier option.
 
KHYBER: With senior officials of Pakistan and Afghanistan reaching an understanding during their protracted parleys during the last week of Torkham border closure, positive signs emerged on late Thursday about the possible reopening of the border on Friday morning.

Official sources privy to the week-long deliberations between Islamabad and Kabul stated that the foreign ministry of the Afghan interim government had given an assurance to Pakistani authorities that “the Afghan territory shall not be employed for hostile actions against Pakistan”, and thus there was a possibility that the Torkham border which was closed on Sept 6 would be re-opened on Friday.

DAWN
 
Afghan government also should take strong action against anti Pakistan elements in Afghanistan if they want strong relation with Pakistan
 
Imran Khan was the best bet of a Pakistan with a future. He was a man of vision and a patriot and had skin in the game having roots in the tribal areas bordering Pakistan. What we are left with him gone, is army generals and politicians who's only vision is mansions abroad from the money they siphon off from aid money borrowed from the west.

Best case scenario now is for the disintegration of Pakistan so the snakes are on India's borders like in days of yore. Pakistan has no future while India views it as
 
Contnued from above: while India considers Pakistan as a desirable but weak buffer between India and hostile nations like Afghanistan.

This post was in answer to salimbhai's post which I had trouble quoting:


If you keep snakes in your backyard, they are bound to bite you down the line
Click to expand...
 
KHYBER: Import of all edibles, especially fresh fruits and vegetables from Afghanistan, was suspended on Monday as customs officials asked importers to produce the Plant Protection Quarantine Certificate (PPQC) for customs clearance on the Pakistani side of the border here.

The PPQC condition caused a sudden halt to all vehicles carrying fresh fruits and vegetables on the Afghan side of the border as none of them had the required certification from the Afghan interim government.

Customs clearing agents had heated exchanges with Pakistani customs officials complaining they didn’t get any prior notice about the production of the PPQC.

However, customs officials insisted that the rule was imposed a few years ago over the import of raw cotton from Afghanistan.

Enraged importers of fresh fruit and vegetables and customs clearing agents also held a protest demonstration and briefly blocked the Customs Road leading to the border point.

The issue wasn’t unresolved until night with transporters and importers waiting anxiously for a positive response from authorities in Islamabad.

Customs officials at Torkham said there was no quarantine or spray facility for edibles, especially vegetables and fruits imported from Afghanistan, but they were given stern directives from their officials in Islamabad to strictly implement the PPQC condition while refusing customs clearance of such imports if the condition was not fulfilled.

Local importers said over 50 trucks and containers laden with fresh fruits and vegetables had got stuck on the Afghan side of the border due to the refusal of their customs clearance by Pakistani authorities.

DAWN
 
I had posted it in a related thread in 2021 when many in Pakistan, led by Imran Khan, were rejoicing Taliban homecoming. I had said at that time, its a matter of time before Taliban becomes Pakistan problem for one very simple reason. The talibanis know to fight and unfortunately that's the only thing they know. Just because they came to power, you think the rank and file of Taliban fighters would take up jobs of clerk or peon or bus driver. NO. For them fighting is a way of life, that's the only thing they know and they will find a new enemy. And they have found a new enemy in Pakistan army now.
 
happydavy said:
I had posted it in a related thread in 2021 when many in Pakistan, led by Imran Khan, were rejoicing Taliban homecoming. I had said at that time, its a matter of time before Taliban becomes Pakistan problem for one very simple reason. The talibanis know to fight and unfortunately that's the only thing they know. Just because they came to power, you think the rank and file of Taliban fighters would take up jobs of clerk or peon or bus driver. NO. For them fighting is a way of life, that's the only thing they know and they will find a new enemy. And they have found a new enemy in Pakistan army now.
Click to expand...

Why do you think anybody in Pakistan cares about this now? Even the public have lost faith in their army, so why would anybody want to fight with the Taliban? Let them have the country, no one believes in it anymore. Taliban should be allowed a free pass to Bharat, Pakistan is not worth fighting for, even your own Bharati posters have repeatedly pointed out this truth.
 
It's interesting how Pakistan would handle a war if it were to happen with Afghanistan.
According to some posters, Afghanistan is invincible, and no one can beat them. Even mighty Russia and the US failed to win a war against Afghanistan.
 
Cover Drive Six said:
It's interesting how Pakistan would handle a war if it were to happen with Afghanistan.
According to some posters, Afghanistan is invincible, and no one can beat them. Even mighty Russia and the US failed to win a war against Afghanistan.
Click to expand...
Why are you so interested in a war between Pakistan and Afghanistan? If you are interested in a war, why not pit Bharat against Afghanistan and settle old enmities once and for all?
 
Cpt. Rishwat said:
Why are you so interested in a war between Pakistan and Afghanistan? If you are interested in a war, why not pit Bharat against Afghanistan and settle old enmities once and for all?
Click to expand...
Hey, Mr. Brit, because this thread is about the possibility of a war between Pakistan and Afghanistan, not about India.
 
Pakistan to raise issue of extortion by Afghan nationals with Taliban govt
CTD arrests two Afghan nationals who are TTP militants, involved in extorting politicians
In a bid to keep Pakistanis safe from cross-border threats, authorities have decided to highlight the involvement of Afghan nationals in activities like extortion in the country, before the interim Taliban government in Kabul, a top official said on Tuesday.

The matter of Afghanis' involvement in terrorism, extortion and other illicit activities has been raised before the government in the neighbouring country several times seeking action to put a full stop to them.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Counter Terrorism Finance Imran Shahid said that Pakistan has decided to take up the matter with the Taliban government.

The top official mentioned that the authorities have arrested two extortionists, who belong to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — the banned group that Pakistan says has safe havens in Afghanistan.

"Zaman Faiz and Saeedullah, who were arrested, are Afghan citizens. They were arrested from Lahore and we have also seized their mobile phones," he said.

The extortionists demanded money from businessmen, politicians, and other people — as people opted against complaining to the local authorities out of fear.

"The arrested people operated in district Mohmand; they have 71 other accomplices. This network has also called politicians (including a senator and a member of provincial assembly) seeking extortion money."

www.thenews.com.pk

Pakistan to raise issue of extortion by Afghan nationals with Taliban govt

In a bid to keep Pakistanis safe from cross-border threats, authorities have decided to highlight the involvement of Afghan nationals in activities like extortion in the country, before the interim...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
 
Afghanistan’s Taliban says it has arrested 200 suspected militants for staging deadly cross-border attacks against Pakistan.

According to the report, the Afghan rulers have also implemented other concrete steps to neutralize the terrorist activity.

The de facto Afghan rulers shared the details about the crackdown on the outlawed Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, in bilateral talks they hosted last week in Kabul with a high-level delegation from Islamabad.

The talks took place after four soldiers embraced martyrdom while repulsing terrorist attacks on two Pakistan Army check posts in the general area Kalash, District Chitral, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on September 6.

The Afghan Taliban arrested 200 TTP cadres returning from the Chitral attack. They are now behind bars; VOA quoted an official as saying on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to publicly interact with the media. But we have to wait and see the outcome of these steps before drawing any conclusions. So, you have to give them some time to consolidate these measures, the official remarked.

Pakistan’s special representative on Afghanistan, Asif Durrani, led the delegation to Kabul, with senior military officials also accompanying him. Officials in Islamabad at the time described as promising their extensive discussions with Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and his team.

Source: ARY
 

Pakistan tells 1.7 million Afghans to leave by November or face deportation​


Pakistan has ordered some 1.7 million Afghans living illegally in the country to leave by the end of the month or face deportation.

The order, which was announced by the country’s interior minister on Tuesday, comes as Pakistan grapples with a rise in attacks that its government blames on militants operating from Afghanistan – a charge that Kabul routinely denies.

About 1.3 million Afghans are registered refugees in Pakistan and 880,000 more have legal status to remain, according to the latest United Nations figures.

But Sarfraz Bugti, Pakistan’s caretaker interior minister, said that a further 1.7 million Afghans were in Pakistan illegally.

All will have to return home in the coming months, according to a report by the state-run news agency APP.

“The illegal immigrants and illegal foreign nationals who are living in Pakistan are given a deadline of November 1,” Mr Bugti told reporters in Islamabad.

“If they do not go ... then all the law enforcement agencies in the provinces or federal government will be utilised to deport them.”

APP went further, however, citing government sources as saying that the administration wanted all Afghans to leave.

“In the first phase, illegal residents, in the second phase, those with Afghan citizenship, and in the third phase those with proof of residence cards will be expelled,” it said.

Afghanistan’s embassy on Tuesday said that more than 1,000 Afghans have been detained in the past two weeks, despite half of them having a legal right to be in Pakistan.

“Despite the repeated promises of the Pakistan authorities, the arrest and harassment of Afghan refugees by the police in Pakistan continues,” it said.

Mr Bugti also said that from November 1, Pakistan would only allow entry to Afghans with valid passports and visas.

For years, Afghans entering Pakistan via land borders have been allowed to use their national identity cards as a travel document.

There is a huge waiting list in Afghanistan for nationals seeking to get passports, and obtaining a Pakistani visa can take months.

Mr Bugti also warned of a tightening of restrictions on property and businesses owned by Afghans in Pakistan.

“A task force has been formed for that purpose at the interior ministry. All the properties and businesses of those living here illegally are out of our tax net,” he said.

“Our intelligence agencies will search them out and their business will be confiscated by the government.”

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have soured since the Taliban’s return, with a sharp rise in militant attacks along Pakistan’s border.

“There have been 24 suicide attacks since January, 14 of these 24 were carried by Afghan nationals,” Mr Bugti told reporters.

Pakistan has launched similar moves against Afghans in the past and threatened to deport them all, but the campaigns have fizzled out after a few months or following talks between the respective capitals.

 
1.7 million Afghans

Atm it's all talk to extinguish public wrath after the constant suicide attacks on innocent civilians

We all know neither civilian or military can tackle illegal Afghans its always been a bend over policy towards them
Whilst every other neighbour to afghanistan gives order to shoot on sight.
 
Afghan Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid has said Pakistan's decision to deport illegal Afghan nationals is unacceptable and urged authorities to review the policy.

It should be noted that yesterday the Caretaker Interior Minister Sarfaraz Bugti said that the foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan have been given a deadline of November 1 to return to their homeland and those who do not go after that. Will be deported.

He said that it has been decided in the meeting that we have given a deadline of November 1 to the foreigners residing illegally in Pakistan to voluntarily return to their respective countries by that date. If they do not return by November 1, all law enforcement agencies in the state will ensure enforcement and deport such persons.

They said that they have time till November 1 to leave here and after that they will be deported.

He further said that Afghan refugees have no hand in Pakistan's security problems, as long as the refugees leave Pakistan willingly and contentedly, they should be patient.

The Foreign Office of Pakistan has not issued any statement in this regard so far.

Source: Dawn
 
In Balochistan, two Pakistanis, including a 12-year-old boy, were martyred and a child injured in firing at Chaman crossing near the Pak-Afghan border.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), two Pakistani nationals, including a 12-year-old boy, were martyred and a child was injured when an Afghan sentry opened unprovoked fire on people travelling from Pakistan to Afghanistan.

According to the ISPR, Pakistani forces showed restraint to avoid further casualties, security personnel avoided retaliatory firing due to the presence of passengers. The bodies of the deceased have been shifted to DHQ Hospital Chaman while the injured child is also undergoing treatment.

The ISPR said that Pakistani authorities demanded the extradition of the guilty Afghan sentry, it is expected that the Afghan interim government will control its security personnel, ensuring discipline to avoid such incidents in the future.

Pakistan remains committed to positive and constructive bilateral relations. Such unpleasant incidents can harm serious efforts.

Source: ARY
 

Taliban call Pakistan's decision to expel undocumented Afghans 'unacceptable'​


A statement from spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid added that Afghan refugees are "not involved" in the security issues faced by Pakistan.

"As long as they leave Pakistan voluntarily, that country should tolerate them," said Mujahid.

In a significant change of policy, the government announced that all foreign nationals living illegally in the country, including millions of Afghans, have been given until November 1 to leave voluntarily or face deportation.

The measures, including the introduction of the “one document regime” for Afghanistan, were part of a raft of measures approved by the civil and military leadership to deal with rising terrorist incidents.

The apex committee of the National Action Plan (NAP) meeting presided over by caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar was held to discuss the prevailing security situation. The high-level huddle was attended by Army Chief General Asim Munir, cabinet ministers and other senior security officials.

In what seems to be a message for the interim Afghan government, Pakistan through a series of new measures has made it clear that “business as usual” won’t continue with the neighbouring country.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, the interior minister said the federal government decided to deport all illegal foreign nationals residing in Pakistan from November 1.

All foreigners living in Pakistan illegally have been given 28 days to leave the country or face eviction by force, he added.

Although the government did not mention any country by name, it is evident that the move is aimed at hundreds and thousands of Afghans living in Pakistan illegally.

According to official estimates, as many as 1.1 million Afghans have been residing in the country illegally. Neither have they neither any documents nor any other legal means to stay in the country.

tribune.com.pk

Taliban call govt's decision to expel aliens 'unacceptable' | The Express Tribune

Afghans not responsible for Pakistan’s security problems, says Zabihullah
tribune.com.pk tribune.com.pk
 
Why would they opt a war with pakistan when they are already killing u economicaly in form of smugling.
 
PAKISTAN BANS EXPORT OF 212 ITEMS TO AFGHANISTAN

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce has banned the export of 212 items to Afghanistan under the Transit Trade Agreement, ARY News reported on Thursday.

According to SRO Number, 17 types of clothes, all types of vehicle tires, tea leaves, cosmetics and dozens of toiletries have been banned.

Similarly, nuts, dry and fresh fruits, home appliances including fridges, refrigerators, air conditioners, juicer, and mixer blenders have also been banned from being taken to Afghanistan.

The move comes a day after Pakistan imposed a 10 percent processing fee on several items imported under the Afghan transit trade agreement.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 18D of the Customs Act, 1969 (IV of 1969), the Federal Government is pleased to impose processing fee at the rate of 10 percent ad valorem on the following Afghan transit Commercial goods imported into Afghanistan in transit via Pakistan,” said a customs department notification.

The items affected include confectioneries, chocolates, footwear, various machinery, blankets, home textiles, and garments.

Pakistan has formulated a new strategy to curb financial losses to the exchequer from the Afghan transit trade, it emerged Friday.

Sources told ARY News that Pakistan suffered an annual financial loss of Rs180 billion from the Afghan transit trade. To curb the financial losses, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) formulated a new strategy to stop smuggling of the transit commodities.

arynews.tv

Pakistan bans export of 212 items to Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Commerce has banned the export of 212 items to Afghanistan under the Transit Trade Agreement, ARY News reported on Thursday.
arynews.tv arynews.tv
 
I really hope this administration is true to it's words and tackles this afghan problem once and for all.

im still sceptical how 1.7 million people are going to be moved
 
Illegal Afghan nationals start leaving
Officials stated that Afghan families residing in cities without legal documents have initiated their return to their home country to avoid arrest

After the deadline set for illegal Afghan immigrants residing in Pakistan, Afghan nationals have commenced their departure from the country via the Torkham border crossing, officials said on Thursday.

Border officials stated that over the past two days, more than 30 families comprising around 1,000 individuals departed Pakistan on the very first day following the announcement made by the federal interior minister. Authorities have designated a parking area for returnees in Torkham, with staff deployed to attend to them and complete their registration.

The officials also stated that Afghan families residing in various Pakistani cities without proper legal documents have initiated their return to their home country to avoid arrest and humiliation.

Baryalay Hasrat, a resident of Laghman province in Afghanistan, shared with The News that his family of nine members had been living in Nowshera for the past 20 years. He said although they possessed Afghan Citizen cards issued by the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra), they were voluntarily returning to Afghanistan, as the economic and security situation in their country was better compared to Pakistan.

www.thenews.com.pk

Illegal Afghan nationals start leaving

LANDIKOTAL/ISLAMABAD: After the deadline set for illegal Afghan immigrants residing in Pakistan, Afghan nationals have commenced their departure from the country via the Torkham border crossing,...
www.thenews.com.pk www.thenews.com.pk
 
The Afghan authorities have ensured Pakistan’s administration and police officials for full cooperation regarding the return of illegally migrated Afghan citizens, ARY News reported on Friday.

During a high-level meeting held between the officials of the Islamabad administration, federal police, and Afghan Commissionerate officers the officials from the Afghan embassy were informed about the Terms of Reference (TORs) for the return of Afghan citizens who have illegally migrated to Pakistan.

The Afghan authorities assured full cooperation to the Pakistani authorities and agreed to assist regarding the return of illegal Afghan nationals.

The Pakistani authorities assured to facilitate the people who voluntarily returned to Afghanistan and to share the data of the arrested Afghan citizens with the embassy.

It is pertinent to mention here that the caretaker government had set a deadline of November 01 for illegal residents and migrants to leave the country otherwise will be deported.

The caretaker Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti formed a task force that will take action against illegal immigrants.

Source: ARY
 
Pak-Afghan transit trade rules get stricter.

Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) made amendments to the Customs Act 2001, stringent the rules between Pakistan and Afghanistan transit trade.

The notification issued by FBR stated that the financial security condition has been imposed on goods for the Pak-Afghan transit trade, these new conditions will be applicable to importers, customs agents, brokers, and transport operators.

According to the new conditions, the financial security for the transit operation will be provided through authorized bank guarantees. These guarantees will be valid for at least one year and can easily be cashable within Pakistani borders.

Notably, the bank guarantee will cover the taxes and duties applicable on vehicles and goods involved in the transit.

The FBR officials stated that the aim of these new conditions is to provide financial security to the Paksitan-Afghanistan transit operation.

The customs computerized system will be employed to monitor the goods transported to Afghanistan, this system will facilitate the efficient tracking and management of transit cargo, enhancing transparency and reducing the risk of illicit trade activities.

As per the notification, it has been mandated that, after the declaration, a minimum of 25 percent of transit goods will undergo the scanning procedures, meanwhile, the risk management system will be deployed to inspect at least 10 percent of goods from the total consignments.

After getting clearance from the customs computerized system, the goods will proceed to their respective terminals for delivery and sealing.


Source: ARY News
 
UN agencies offer 'support' for registering, managing Afghan nationals
UNHCR, IOM ask govt to consider plight of human rights challenges in Afghanistan, particularly for women

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) – the UN’s migration agency– offered their support to Pakistan on Saturday in “developing a comprehensive and sustainable mechanism to register and manage Afghan nationals, including those who may be in need of international protection”.

While appreciating Pakistan’s generous hospitality towards Afghan nationals for over four decades despite challenges, the international refugee and migration agencies appealed to the Government of Pakistan to consider the human rights violations that may occur in their efforts for “forced repatriation of Afghan nationals” including the separation of families and deportation of minors.

The UN agencies released a joint statement after Pakistan announced plans to deport around 1.75 million 'illegal' and undocumented Afghan immigrants back to their home country.

The statement highlighted the plight of human rights challenges in Afghanistan, particularly for women and girls. “Such plans would have serious implications for all who have been forced to leave the country and may face serious protection risks upon return,” read the press release, stating that the Taliban-ruled country was facing a humanitarian crisis already.

tribune.com.pk

UN agencies offer 'support' for managing Afghans | The Express Tribune

UNHCR, IOM ask govt to consider plight of human rights challenges in Afghanistan
tribune.com.pk tribune.com.pk
 
Pakistan seeks Kabul’s consulate in Chaman to ease visa process

Pakistan has suggested the interim Afghanistan government establish a sub-consulate in Chaman, as efforts are underway to devise a mechanism for the issuance of an on-arrival visa to Afghan citizens at the border town on the basis of their identification documents.

The authorities concerned would also approach the federal government seeking the installation of a passport reader in the border town.

These issues were taken up during a high-level meeting chaired by the caretaker chief minister, Ali Mardan Domki, held in Chaman, which was attended by FC IG Major Gen Aamir Ajmal, Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan, Balochistan police chief Abdul Khaliq Sheikh, and others.

The meeting was informed at least 150 Afghan families were expelled over the past few days under an “effective mechanism” established in the border town.)

A monitoring committee has also been set up comprising representatives of police, Levies, and district administration, to oversee the repatriation process.

www.dawn.com

Pakistan seeks Kabul’s consulate in Chaman to ease visa process

Three camps set up in border town to house undocumented immigrants.
www.dawn.com
 
Not just Afghans, all undocumented foreigners to be evicted: minister

QUETTA: Balochistan Interim Minister for Information Jan Achakzai has made it clear that not only illegal Afghan residents but also Iranian and other foreign individuals who are staying unlawfully without proper documents in the country will be repatriated to their respective nations within the provided time frame, before November 1.

During a press conference held on Wednesday, he stated, “This is the final decision regarding the deportation of all illegal foreign nationals. We aim to ensure their honourable return to their home countries by October 31.”

Mr Achakzai noted that there are approximately 1.3 million illegal Afghan nationals residing throughout the country, with about 300,000 illegal Afghan nationals and other foreign individuals living in Quetta, the majority of whom are Afghan refugees.

In response to a question, he noted that a significant number of Afghan refugees have voluntarily returned to Afghanistan through the UNHCR program, crossing via the Chaman border. The Balochistan Information Minister mentioned that approximately 1,000 Afghan families have chosen to return to Afghanistan from Balochistan voluntarily.

“Pakistan has hosted over 5m Afghans during the last 40 years and provided all facilities and comfort despite facing financial and other issues,” he said.

He said, “We are sending only those refugees who were living without required legal documents while the refugees registered with UNHCR and having Nadra identification cards will stay in Pakistan till further order.”

He emphasised that the deadline for repatriation is November 1, and beyond that date, legal actions will be taken against those who do not avail themselves of the deadline and will be deported to their respective countries.

Mr Achakzai specified that the measures against illegal immigrants would be carried out in accordance with local and United Nations laws.

Regarding another question, Mr Achakzai stated that the authorities have already collected data on Afghan and other foreign individuals residing illegally in Quetta, and a task force is actively gathering more data from other areas.

He emphasised that the deportation measures would apply not only to illegal Afghan nationals but also to other foreigners, including Iranians, Nigerians, and individuals lacking legal documentation, who are living in Balochistan without proper authorisation.

www.dawn.com

Not just Afghans, all undocumented foreigners to be evicted: minister

Balochistan information minister says there are approximately 1.3m illegal Afghan nationals residing throughout the country.
www.dawn.com
 
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