Islamabad(The COW News Digital) Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ishaq Dar, has revealed that he held extensive communication with Afghanistan’s acting Foreign Minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, emphasizing that Islamabad’s foremost demand is that Afghan soil must not be used for activities hostile to Pakistan. Dar made these remarks while speaking on the Senate floor on Wednesday, highlighting recent diplomatic exchanges amid rising cross-border security concerns.
According to Ishaq Dar, the Afghan acting Foreign Minister contacted him six times in a single day. Dar said he responded with only one firm message: Pakistan requires assurances that Afghan territory will not serve as a launching ground for militant attacks, particularly those orchestrated by groups targeting Pakistan. “I told him clearly, we need only one thing — that your soil must not be used against us,” Dar said, noting that the situation has placed both sides under pressure.
Dar further acknowledged that Pakistan’s initial approach toward the Taliban administration following their takeover of Kabul in 2021 was based on goodwill, but certain decisions proved costly. “When the Taliban government came in, our delegation went and said we were here for just a cup of tea. That cup of tea turned out to be very expensive. We should not repeat such mistakes,” he remarked.
He added that for the past four years, there had been a lack of structured diplomatic engagement between Islamabad and Kabul. Upon assuming office, Dar said he sought to re-establish formal communication, hold discussions and develop frameworks aimed at stabilizing bilateral relations. However, he emphasized that Pakistan presented only one essential request: preventing the use of Afghan territory by militants for attacks inside Pakistan.
The Deputy Prime Minister also pointed to a surge in violent incidents originating from across the border, calling the situation deeply concerning. He stated that Pakistan remains committed to fighting terrorism “till the last breath” and expressed hope that the upcoming round of talks on November 6 would yield progress.
Dar also briefly addressed the internal controversy in Punjab regarding reports that clerics were allegedly being paid stipends of Rs10,000 to Rs25,000. He said he was unaware of such policy and described it as “regrettable” if proven true.
The minister noted that counterterrorism operations conducted up to 2018 had significantly reduced militant attacks, but the recent spike underscores the need for renewed strategy and stronger border control measures.
