ISLAMABAD — Pakistan on Wednesday sought to play down a Taliban ambassador’s interaction at the National Defence University, describing the visit as “merely an academic activity” that should not be given undue significance in the context of relations between Islamabad and Kabul.
Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi made the comments
during his weekly news briefing, saying visits by Taliban ambassadors to
educational institutions were routine.
The remarks came amid continued tensions between Pakistan
and the Taliban authorities over security and the presence of militant groups
that Islamabad says operate from Afghan territory.
Andrabi said Pakistan’s position on Taliban had not
changed, stressing that Afghan territory must not be used for attacks against
Pakistan.
He said the Taliban authorities would have to take “concrete
and verifiable measures” against terrorism originating from Afghanistan under the Taliban,
including action against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, the
Balochistan Liberation Army, or BLA, and other militant groups.
Pakistan's decision regarding future talks and engagement
with Afghanistan, he said, remained conditional on guarantees from the Taliban
authorities that Afghan territory would not be used for terrorism against
Pakistan.
Asked about the possibility of a second phase of talks,
Andrabi said there was currently no information available.
The spokesperson also said that China's special
representative for Afghanistan visited Pakistan from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 and
held discussions with Pakistan's special representative for Afghanistan,
Mohammad Sadiq.
Andrabi said Islamabad appreciated China's “constructive and
sustained diplomatic efforts” on Afghanistan and remained positively engaged in
efforts aimed at constructive dialogue on the issue.
