Pakistan Says Operations in Afghanistan Are Part of Counterterrorism Efforts

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that Islamabad is taking a serious approach to combating terrorism and that “actions and operations” in Afghanistan are being carried out within this framework. Speaking on Monday (March 23), Pakistan’s National Day, he described Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan and the Baloch Liberation Army as serious threats to the country’s security, referring to them as “Fitna-e-Hindustan” and “Fitna al-Khawarij.” These remarks come as the Taliban and Pakistan, with mediation by Qatar, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia, have reached a temporary ceasefire on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr. However, the Pakistani military said that any lasting ceasefire is conditional on the handover of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan members. The Taliban have consistently rejected Pakistan’s allegations of supporting militants and have expressed readiness for dialogue.