Pakistan says onus on Afghanistan to end hostilities

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ISLAMABAD: The diplomatic landscape between Pakistan and Afghanistan has reached a critical juncture following a formal declaration from Islamabad that the ‘onus’ of ending the current cross-border conflict rests squarely with Kabul.

Speaking at a weekly briefing on Thursday, Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi emphasized that while Pakistan remains open to dialogue, the Taliban government must provide ‘visible and verifiable actions’ against militant groups operating from Afghan soil.

This statement comes amid preliminary, China-mediated ‘working-level’ talks in Urumqi, which represent the first major diplomatic engagement since the conflict escalated into a state of ‘open war’ in February. The hostilities were triggered by Operation Ghazab Lil-Haq (Wrath for Justice), a large-scale Pakistani military campaign launched in response to persistent TTP attacks and Afghan border incursions.

The Urumqi negotiations, facilitated by Beijing and supported by regional players like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, aim to establish a robust verification mechanism for border security. While the Taliban delegation has expressed a desire for ‘good neighborliness’ and trade resumption, Islamabad maintains that a durable solution is impossible without a concrete crackdown on terrorist sanctuaries.

As both nations navigate this fragile peace process, the international community remains watchful, recognizing that a failure in these talks could plunge the region back into a high-intensity military confrontation.