Pakistan Minister Urges Afghanistan’s Interim Govt to Abandon ‘Militant Mindset’

ISLAMABAD, Sep 29: Pakistan Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday called on Afghanistan’s interim administration to shift away from what he described as a “militant mindset” as tensions between Islamabad and Kabul continue to rise.

Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad on Afghanistan and prospects for peace, Tarar said the two neighbouring countries needed to pursue a sustainable solution despite their troubled relationship.

“The interim Afghan government needs to move out of its militant mindset into a mindset of a statesman or state,” Tarar said.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have worsened in recent months, with both sides trading accusations over militancy. Islamabad has repeatedly alleged that armed groups operate from Afghan territory and carry out attacks inside Pakistan. Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities have rejected the allegations.

Pakistan said on Monday that its security forces conducted airstrikes against terrorist camps and hideouts in the border region with Afghanistan, killing 28 militants, including several suicide bombers.

Tarar described the longstanding dispute as an “Afghan predicament or Afghan conundrum”, saying it was a complicated issue that required a lasting and workable settlement.

“Pakistan and Afghanistan have been, are, and will remain neighbours. We have international borders, linkages, connections. But our past has been turbulent,” he said.

The minister maintained that Islamabad favoured peaceful coexistence but questioned whether the conditions currently existed for meaningful reconciliation.

“Can peace be achieved? Yes. But is there a will to achieve peace? The answer unfortunately is no,” he said.

Tarar said Pakistan had made multiple efforts to engage Kabul through high-level diplomatic delegations. He also referred to initiatives by countries including Qatar, Turkiye and China to facilitate dialogue between the two sides.

According to Tarar, those efforts did not produce results because Kabul had failed to resolve Islamabad’s central concern over militant activity allegedly originating from Afghan territory. He said Pakistan had subsequently responded with military action against those it identified as terrorists.

The minister further claimed that militant safe havens remained operational in Afghanistan and said Islamabad had raised the issue with Kabul.

Calling for a “live and let live” approach, Tarar said mutual restraint and cooperation were essential for improving relations.

He stressed that Pakistan’s stated preference for peace should not be interpreted as weakness. Tarar also drew attention to human rights concerns in Afghanistan while discussing the broader challenges facing the country.