ISLAMABAD: Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to facilitating Afghan transit trade for several decades and expressed its intent to continue doing so. However, Pakistan stressed that it could not tolerate any exploitation or misuse of the transit trade agreement.
In response to the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ statement regarding the closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, the Foreign Office spokesperson, expressed surprise. She pointed out that the Interim Afghan authorities were fully aware of the reasons behind the temporary closure of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border at Torkham.
Baloch clarified that Pakistan could not accept the construction of any structures by the Afghan Government within its territory, as this violated Pakistan’s sovereignty.
She pointed out that on September 6th, Afghan troops engaged in indiscriminate firing, targeting Pakistani military posts, damaging infrastructure at the Torkham Border Terminal, and endangering the lives of both Pakistani and Afghan civilians when they attempted to erect unlawful structures. She stressed that such unprovoked and indiscriminate firing on Pakistani border posts could not be justified under any circumstances.
Furthermore, Baloch mentioned that such actions by Afghan border security forces bolstered terrorist elements known to enjoy sanctuaries within Afghanistan, as confirmed by the UN Security Council’s Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team in its latest report.
Pakistan’s Stance on Border Closure
Pakistan expressed its desire for a peaceful and amicable border with Afghanistan and noted its history of welcoming Afghan refugees for decades. Despite persistent provocations from Afghan troops along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, Pakistan continued to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue. Temporary border closures only occurred in extreme cases, such as the September 6th, 2023 incident or when Afghan soil was used to launch terror attacks inside Pakistan.
Baloch also criticized the Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs for including irrelevant comments and unsolicited advice regarding Pakistan’s economy and foreign trade. She reiterated Pakistan’s readiness to address bilateral issues and concerns through constructive dialogue, aiming to promote economic connectivity and prosperity for both countries. Finally, Pakistan expected the Afghan interim authorities to respect Pakistan’s concerns, uphold its territorial integrity, and ensure that Afghan territory was not used as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.
