Islamabad (Web Desk): Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif has said the core objective of the agreement is to dismantle terrorist networks operating along the border and to normalise bilateral relations.
In an interview with Al-Jazeera Arabia, he said that tensions had escalated between the two sides following last week’s terrorist attacks, prompting urgent talks brokered by Qatar and Turkiye.
Khawaja Asif said that the recently signed peace accord between Islamabad and Kabul marks a vital breakthrough toward easing bilateral tensions and restoring stability in the region while the agreement, suspended trade and transit operations between the two neighbours are being revived, with Afghanistan regaining access to Pakistani seaports.
He stated that the core objective of the agreement is to dismantle terrorist networks operating along the border and to normalise bilateral relations.
According to the defence minister, his Afghan counterpart has also acknowledged that terrorism remains the principal cause of friction between the two nations, and both sides have agreed to take joint measures to eliminate it.
Asif further announced that a high-level meeting will be held in Istanbul next week to finalise the technical details of the accord. Representatives from Qatar and Turkiye will also attend, with their mediation considered key to ensuring the agreement’s successful implementation.
Speaking about trade, he said Afghanistan’s renewed access to Pakistani ports and trade corridors is expected to boost regional economic activity and foster cross-border commercial cooperation.
On the matter of Afghan refugees, the defence minister clarified that Afghan citizens with valid visas and identification documents would continue to reside legally in Pakistan, while those without documentation would be repatriated as part of the ongoing process.
Asif emphasised that movement across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border will now be regulated under formal and internationally recognised mechanisms to prevent future misunderstandings or escalations.
Acknowledging the accord as a “positive step forward,” Asif cautioned that time will be needed to assess its full effectiveness. “It would be premature to say we are fully satisfied. The coming weeks and months will reveal how effectively this agreement is implemented,” he said.
The defence minister concluded by expressing optimism that Pakistan and Afghanistan, bound by geography and centuries of shared history, would move toward mutual trust, cooperation, and stability, paving the way for a lasting era of peace and development in the region.