FO says Afghan transit trade will remain suspended until evaluation of security situation

Islamabad (Web Desk): Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has announced that the Afghan transit trade remains suspended and will not resume until a thorough assessment of the security conditions is completed.

Speaking at his weekly press briefing in Islamabad on Friday, he said Pakistan has been facing persistent assaults on border trade routes from across Afghanistan, resulting in the deaths of innocent civilians.

He emphasized that the protection of Pakistani lives takes precedence over any commercial exchange.

Tahir Andrabi reiterated that Pakistan expects Afghan territory not to be used for orchestrating or supporting terrorist activities against the country.

Reflecting on earlier hopes for regional stability, he remarked that there had been optimism when the Taliban came to power in Afghanistan, but the continued use of Afghan soil by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and other militant factions for attacks has drastically changed the situation.

He said Islamabad’s message to the Afghan interim authorities is straightforward—stop cross-border assaults, restrain and arrest terrorists and extremists, and ensure their territory is not exploited for violence against Pakistan.

Andrabi added that this demand is neither extraordinary nor unreasonable, stressing that Pakistan only expects Kabul to fulfill its obligations made under the Doha-I Agreement

Responding to a question about any potential Indian attempt to forcibly annex Azad Jammu and Kashmir, the spokesperson said Pakistan’s defense capabilities are strong enough to repel any act of aggression.

Commenting on the Sharm el-Sheikh accord, he said it is time to translate the agreement into a long-term peace process that ensures the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital.