Pakistan expects 'sincere cooperation' from Afghan interim govt to address terrorism: FO

The Foreign Office (FO) said on Thursday that Pakistan expects "sincere cooperation" from the Afghan interim government to address the challenge of terrorism and hopes that Afghanistan will live up to its commitments made with the international community and Pakistan in this regard, Radio Pakistan reported.

Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stated this while replying to a question during her weekly news briefing in Islamabad.

The remarks come a day after Acting Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said that Pakistan should not put the blame for the Peshawar suicide bombing on Kabul.

The spokesperson expressed Pakistan's resolve to root out the evil of terrorism and safeguard the security of every citizen.

“We take the loss of innocent lives very seriously and would expect our neighbours to do the same,” she said.

“Terrorism is a common threat to both Pakistan and Afghanistan. We must take a strong stance against entities that use violence against innocent citizens and law enforcement agencies.”

“We remain firm in our resolve to root out the evil of terrorism and safeguard the security of every citizen. We do not believe in accusations or finger-pointing; however, we would reiterate our expectation that no country would allow its territory to be used for perpetrating terrorism against Pakistan.

“It is time the commitments made to the world and Pakistan are fulfilled with sincerity and in good faith with concrete actions,” she said.

Responding to another question, the spokesperson said Pakistan has a foreign policy that prioritizes developing good relations with all countries.

She said we have constructive dialogue with all countries, including Russian Federation, the United States, the European Union, and our neighbours. She said bilateral relations with Russia, including economic cooperation, will further deepen in the future.

Baloch informed that Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar will undertake a two-day visit to Sri Lanka from tomorrow.

The Spokesperson said that the Minister of State will participate in the 75th Independence Day of Sri Lanka as a Guest of Honour. In addition to attending the Independence Day events, she will call on the Sri Lankan leadership and meet with the Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka.

The spokesperson further said Pakistan and Sri Lanka have historic ties that have grown steadily in all aspects of bilateral cooperation.

We also have worked closely in multilateral forums including SAARC. The visit of the Minister of State would contribute to enhanced understanding between the two countries and signal Pakistan's support for Sri Lanka at a difficult time.