Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Tahir Andrabi, said on Friday that border crossings with Afghanistan will remain closed to trade and transit until the Taliban provide credible guarantees that militants will not be allowed to enter Pakistan from Afghan territory.
At a press briefing, Andrabi declined to discuss details of the recent Pakistan–Taliban talks in Saudi Arabia but said the closures were driven solely by security concerns. He stressed that Islamabad has no dispute with the people of Afghanistan and has kept the border open for humanitarian aid, reflecting what he described as Pakistan’s “positive approach” toward Afghans.
He said the border would stay shut “until we receive credible assurances that terrorists or violent elements will not be allowed to cross into Pakistan.”
According to Geo News, when asked about the discussions in Saudi Arabia, Andrabi referred to Türkiye’s efforts to ease tensions and suggested that a Turkish delegation had not yet travelled to Pakistan due to insufficient cooperation from the Taliban.
He also discussed Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, saying both leaders expressed support for the Afghan people and urged the Taliban to honour their international commitments.
Islamabad maintains that militants based in Afghanistan are carrying out attacks in Pakistan and says the Taliban have not responded effectively to repeated requests to act against them. The Taliban reject the accusations.
On Thursday, Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said trade routes between the two countries would reopen only when Pakistan guarantees that border crossings will not be used as tools of political or economic pressure. He added that Taliban is capable of meeting its needs through other countries.
