ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated on Thursday that the ball is now in the Afghan regime’s court, emphasizing they must resolve the issue within the 48-hour truce period by accepting Pakistan’s legitimate conditions for a permanent ceasefire.
Addressing the federal cabinet, the prime minister said Pakistan agreed to an interim 48-hour ceasefire on Wednesday, and the Afghan Taliban were informed that talks must be based on Pakistan’s legitimate demands, adding that Kabul is committing aggression at India’s behest.
“They have been conveyed a message that Pakistan is ready for a permanent solution if they are serious to talk on our legitimate conditions,” he maintained.
He said the ball is in the Afghan Taliban’s court, and if they are serious, they should advance the matter toward a permanent ceasefire. “We want a solid solution, but it will not be acceptable for us if they want to buy time under the cover of an interim ceasefire,” he said.
The prime minister noted that friendly countries, particularly Qatar, are also making efforts to mediate. “I also met the Emir of Qatar in Egypt, and he also regretted the Afghan attack on Pakistan, saying it should not have happened,” he shared. He added that the Qatari Emir expressed his country’s desire to play a mediating role.
The prime minister stated that Pakistan desires to resolve the issue once and for all, adding that the menace of Fitna Al Khawarij must be eliminated, as Afghan territory is being used against its neighbour.
He said Pakistan’s Armed Forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, gave a befitting response to the attacks from Afghanistan. “The bereaved families of Shuhada while talking to me also desired this Fitna should be eliminated,” he said. The prime minister recalled that the Fitna Al Khawarij, which had been eliminated, resurfaced in 2018 due to specific causes. “The then government in Pakistan gave a free hand to the Fitna and welcomed them back to the country,” he said, adding that this was the main cause for the resurgence of terrorism in the region.
The premier asserted that the Taliban regime carried out the recent attacks on Pakistan at India’s behest, coinciding with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India.
He said Pakistan has consistently urged the Afghan regime that the two countries share a 2,000-kilometer border and that Pakistan has sheltered four million refugees despite limited resources. Despite these efforts, he lamented, Afghanistan did not prioritise peace and chose aggression. Pakistan had to launch a full-scale retaliatory action as patience had run out after recent events, he said, referring to the rising incidents of cross-border terrorism.
“We want to maintain brotherhood with Afghanistan, but instead, the terrorists are martyring our citizens, personnel of armed forces and police,” he said, adding that Pakistan’s patience is running out after the recent terror attacks.
He recalled that the deputy prime minister, defence minister, and other officials visited Afghanistan to convey Pakistan’s desire for peace. “But unfortunately, it did not happen, and they attacked Pakistan at India’s behest when the Afghan foreign minister was in India.”
Shehbaz regretted that while President Donald Trump, he himself, and other leaders were signing a ceasefire agreement in Egypt, some domestic elements were politicising the serious issue. “Where were these elements when the blood of innocent people of Palestine was being shed?” he questioned. He once again lauded the role of President Trump, Field Marshal Asim Munir and the leadership of Muslim countries in achieving peace in Gaza through the ceasefire agreement.
He affirmed that Pakistan would continue to raise its voice for the Palestinians’ legitimate right to an independent state and for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
Concluding on an economic note, Shehbaz also welcomed the staff-level agreement reached with the IMF, which paves the way for the next installment. He expressed confidence that this would be the country’s last IMF programme.
Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry, when asked about Pakistan and Afghanistan agreeing to a 48-hour ceasefire, said that Beijing supports countries in exercising restraint and realising a full and lasting ceasefire.
China stands ready to continue to play a constructive role for continued improvement in the two countries’ relations, Lin Jian, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, told a regular press briefing. Iran also welcomed the ceasefire between its eastern neighbours Pakistan and Afghanistan, urging dialogue and diplomacy after days of deadly clashes.
In a statement, foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei expressed concern over civilian casualties and called for stronger regional cooperation to combat terrorism, while reaffirming Tehran’s readiness “to assist in any effort to maintain calm and reduce tensions between the two neighbouring Muslim countries”. Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had urged both sides to exercise restraint during the clashes, stressing that regional security was closely tied to stability between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as well as to Iran’s own interests.
Tehran, which does not formally recognise the Taliban government in Kabul, has nonetheless maintained working relations with the group despite recurring disputes over water rights.
Meanwhile, United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said in a statement that at least 18 people have been killed and more than 360 wounded in Afghanistan in military clashes between Pakistan and Afghanistan since Oct 10.
“UNAMA calls on all parties to bring a lasting end to hostilities to protect civilians,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz congratulated Sohail Afridi on being elected as the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and emphasized the Centre-province coordination to achieve the national goals.
This was the first telephonic conversation between PM Shehbaz and CM Afridi following the latter’s election to the top post amid political friction between the federation and the province led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), respectively.
“Centre is ready to work with you [KP government] for Pakistan’s interests,” the premier told the newly-elected chief minister, who took oath a day ago and succeeded Ali Amin Gandapur.
Afridi — a young PTI leader — hails from Bara tehsil of Khyber district and held the portfolio of provincial minister for higher education before becoming the CM. He is regarded among the party’s most ideological and grassroot-based workers, having been associated with the Imran Khan-founded party since his student years. In his maiden speech in the KP Assembly, CM Afridi called himself “a champion of confrontational politics”, hinting at the continuation of his predecessor’s efforts to release the PTI founder Khan with a new energy.