Islamabad: Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan has said that Pakistan remains concerned over the weapons left by the US in Afghanistan.
At his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday, FO Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said these sophisticated weapons are being used by terrorists for attacks inside Pakistan. He said we have impressed upon international community and Afghan authorities to address this issue.
The FO Spokesperson said Pakistan desires friendly cooperative relationship with Afghanistan but the stumbling block in the way of progress is sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists on Afghan territory. He said Pakistan will continue to pursue various channels of communications with the Afghan authorities to address this matter.
As regards the closure of Torkham border, the FO spokesperson said operational constraints forced Pakistan to take this action. He mentioned that the Afghan side is trying to construct a border post on our side unilaterally. He said Pakistan has urged the Afghan authorities to resolve such issues through bilateral mechanisms such as Joint Coordination Committee meeting instead of resorting to unilateral actions. He hoped the matter will be resolved through dialogue.
Responding to a question, Shafqat Ali Khan said F-16 oversight program is a regular feature of Pakistan-US defence collaboration. He said Pakistan welcomes its continuation. He said this is a robust and dense relationship, expressing Pakistan's commitment to carrying this relationship forward.
The FO spokesperson said eight Pakistanis, who were staying illegally in the US, have returned home on Thursday.
Shafqat Ali Khan said that at the invitation of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited Pakistan on 27 February 2025. It was his first official visit to the country. He was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including Ministers and senior officials, as well as prominent business leaders. During the visit five MoUs were signed in the fields of banking, railways, mining and infrastructural development.
He said that on the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid a state visit to Azerbaijan, from 24-25 February 2025. During their detailed interaction, the two sides expressed the desire to further strengthen collaboration across multiple sectors including trade and investment and to explore joint investment projects in the areas of energy, infrastructure, investment and connectivity. The visit concluded with the signing of various agreements and MOUs between the two countries to promote cooperation in different areas.
He said that at the invitation of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif paid an official visit to the Republic of Uzbekistan from 25 to 26 February 2025. The visit underscored the deep-rooted, historic, and fraternal ties between Pakistan and Uzbekistan and reaffirmed the commitment of the leadership of both countries to further strengthen bilateral cooperation. During the visit, both parties shared their perspectives on improving collaboration across various sectors, such as trade, connectivity, culture, and exchanges between people. The discussions emphasized the advancement of regional connectivity via the trans-Afghan railway and trade corridors, aligning with the mutual goal of promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the area.
Shafqat Ali Khan said that on the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, held a bilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi on 21 February 2025. During the meeting, the two leaders engaged in comprehensive discussions to enhance bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including trade, investment, energy, defense, and people-to-people contacts. Both sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments.
FO spokesperson said that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, travelled to New York to participate in the high-level meeting of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on 'Practicing Multilateralism: Reforming and Improving Global Governance', held on 18th February 2025. The ministerial meeting was convened by China during its rotating presidency of the Security Council.
He said that in his remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister emphasized the need for international cooperation and commitment to multilateralism; and called for upholding principles of the UN Charter, including self-determination, the non-use of force, respect for sovereignty, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister expressed deep concerns over the grave situation in Occupied Palestine and Gaza and the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Shafqat Ali Khan said that on the sidelines of the UNSC meeting, DPM/FM met with the Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi; United Nations Secretary-General, Ant³nio Guterres; Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Eng. Waleed Abdul Karim El-Khereiji; and Foreign Minister and Minister of Trade of Hungary, Peter Szijj¡rt³. During the meetings, both sides exchanged views on multifaceted areas of cooperation. Global and regional issues of shared interest were also discussed.
He said that DPM/FM also addressed the Permanent Representatives of the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), on the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting. During his engagement and interaction with the Pakistan Community in New York, DPM/FM highlighted Pakistan's progress in combating terrorism, strengthening economic stability, and fostering a secure and business-friendly environment.
Shafqat Ali Khan said that Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Mariano Grossi, visited Pakistan on 12-13 February 2025. During the visit, DG IAEA called on the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister. Director General Grossi also met with the Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) and the Chairman of the Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA). He participated in the International Conference organized by Pakistan-chapter of Women in Nuclear Field (WIN-Pakistan), visited the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Lahore (INMOL) and an under-construction Chashma Power Plant unit 5 (C-5).
He said that the 2nd Round of Pakistan-United Kingdom Counter Terrorism Dialogue took place in London from 17-18 February 2025. Pakistan delegation was led by Director General for Counter-Terrorism, Ambassador Abdul Hameed, and the United Kingdom's side was headed by Joint Director for National Security, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Kitty Jenkins.
He said that both sides exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan, global and regional landscape and on the security threats posed by terrorist entities. The talks included the exchange of best practices in the areas of; law enforcement, security, criminal justice, rule of law, countering financing for terrorism and capacity building.
Shafqat Ali Khan said that Pakistan and the European Union held their ninth Counter-Terrorism Dialogue in Brussels, on 20 February 2025. The respective delegations were led by Director General for Counter Terrorism, Ambassador Abdul Hameed, and Director for Security and Defence Policy at the European External Action Service, Maciej Stadejek.
The 4th Round of Pakistan-Japan Counter-Terrorism Consultations was convened in Tokyo on 26 February 2025. The Pakistan delegation was led by Additional Secretary (UN), Ambassador Nabeel Munir, while the Japanese side was led by Ambassador in charge of International Cooperation for Countering Terrorism and International Organized Crime of Japan, Minami Hiroyuki. During the discussion, the two sides assessed evolving terrorist threats at national and regional level and reiterated their resolve to combat terrorism in all forms and manifestations.