Operations In Afghanistan Part Of Anti-Terror Policy, Says Pakistan

Isabelle Rome said France condemns restrictions imposed by the Taliban that target women’s fundamental rights and access to public spaces.

In a post on X on Sunday, Rome thanked Belgian senator Viviane Teitelbaum for organising a meeting in the Belgian Senate in support of Afghan women.

The remarks come after Afghan activists and political figures gathered at a two-day meeting in the European Parliament and the Belgian Senate. Taliban opponents at the meeting sought to persuade European leaders that the group has not changed and is not a suitable government for Afghanistan.

Rome said Afghan women are not victims but survivors and fighters, adding that they must have a seat at the table in every decision affecting their future.

She also noted that France, along with five other countries, has supported efforts by the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to seek arrest warrants for Taliban leaders and has backed the creation of investigative mechanisms to document alleged crimes.

Speaking to Geo News on Saturday, Asif said Pakistan has made steady progress in its fight against terrorism and will continue the campaign until it is completely eradicated.

Chaudhry also said the operation has only been paused and is not over, urging the Taliban to honour their commitments under the Doha agreement.

Pakistan has named its military campaign against the Taliban “Ghazab lil Haq”, while the Taliban refer to their own operations as “Radd al-Zulm”.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister’s adviser Rana Sanaullah said Pakistan has a single demand from the Taliban administration: a guarantee that Afghan territory will not be used against Pakistan. He added that if such assurances are provided, Pakistan would have no dispute with the Taliban.

After more than two weeks of deadly clashes, Pakistan and the Taliban agreed to a temporary ceasefire for Eid al-Fitr, brokered by Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar.

The agency wrote on X on Saturday that for many families, this marks another cycle of displacement, and they require urgent support.

The UNHCR emphasised that Afghanistan is currently facing multiple crises.

The agency had previously stated that Afghan migrant families in Iran have been affected by the intensifying conflict, with many of them highly vulnerable due to their fragile circumstances.

The UNHCR also stressed the urgent need to protect civilians, ensure access to humanitarian assistance, and keep borders open for those seeking to leave the country.

According to the sources, most Shia Muslims observed Eid on Saturday, but Taliban forces were deployed at the entrances of Shia mosques, including in western Kabul, to block the prayers.

An eyewitness from Kabul's District 6 told Afghanistan International: “The Taliban are not allowing Shia Muslims to enter the mosques.”

Another eyewitness from Kabul said Taliban forces in the Dasht-e Barchi area of Kabul “are preventing the holding of Eid prayers.”

The Taliban have not issued an official comment on the matter so far.

Sources previously confirmed to Afghanistan International that the Taliban had detained several Shia clerics.

The Taliban, unlike many other countries, declared Thursday as Eid al-Fitr and urged Shia Muslims to observe the holiday and perform prayers on that day.

Information received by Afghanistan International indicates that most Shia Muslims in Afghanistan did not follow the Taliban's directive.

Followers of Shia Islam in various countries, including Iran, Pakistan and Iraq, regard Saturday as the first day of Eid al-Fitr.

Shia clerics say that under Shia jurisprudence, the determination of Eid al-Fitr is the responsibility of religious authorities (marja' taqlid).

Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, one of the leading Shia religious authorities with followers in Afghanistan as well, announced Saturday as Eid al-Fitr.

He called on Afghanistan and Pakistan to improve their relations in the interest of unity among Muslims and said he is willing to take steps to help.

In the message, issued on the occasion of the start of the Persian new year 1405, he said: we consider our eastern neighbours to be very close to us.

Since the outbreak of clashes between the Taliban and Pakistan, Iranian officials have repeatedly called for de-escalation. However, both sides have paid little heed to Tehran’s efforts. Iran’s foreign minister has on several occasions offered to mediate and host talks between the Taliban and Pakistan, but Kabul and Islamabad have not acted on those proposals.

Iran itself is currently engaged in a full-scale military conflict with the United States and Israel, which has reduced the likelihood of its mediation efforts being taken seriously by either side.

The Islamic Republic maintains close relations with the Taliban, but the group did not attend a recent regional meeting in Tehran aimed at easing tensions between Kabul and Islamabad.

This marks the first time Mojtaba Khamenei has publicly referred to the conflict between the Taliban and Pakistan. Iranian authorities are concerned that militant groups could exploit instability in Afghanistan and Pakistan to carry out attacks inside Iran.

Iran also maintains extensive economic ties with the Taliban. Before the recent clashes, Iran was the Taliban’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching around $4 billion.