Afghanistan issue: Tarar advocates peaceful resolution through dialogue

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said Pakistan remained committed to dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan issue, but warned that Islamabad’s desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness, stressing that any attempt to destabilise Pakistan would be responded to.

Addressing an event in Islamabad on the situation in Afghanistan and progress towards peace, the information minister described the Afghan situation as an “extremely complex” issue that required a lasting and sustainable solution.

He said the Afghan interim government needed to move away from what he described as a “militant mindset” and adopt the approach of a responsible state, arguing that many of Afghanistan’s current challenges stemmed from such thinking.

Tarar said Pakistan believed in peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence and had made repeated diplomatic efforts to find an acceptable and friendly solution to the Afghan issue. Pakistan, he added, had sent several high-level delegations to Afghanistan, while negotiations had also taken place in Istanbul and Doha.

However, he expressed concern over what he said were safe havens for terrorists and members of proscribed organisations inside Afghanistan, maintaining that sustainable peace would remain difficult unless such challenges were addressed.

“Pakistan wants peace, but our desire for peace should not be considered our weakness,” Tarar said, adding that attempts to destabilise Pakistan had been responded to in the past and would continue to be dealt with.

The minister said a peaceful Afghanistan could unlock significant economic opportunities not only for the Afghan people but for the wider region, particularly by expanding trade and regional connectivity.

He said Afghanistan’s geographical position offered considerable potential to connect Central Asian states with Pakistan and provide them access to warm-water ports. Trade corridors extending to Karachi and Gwadar, he added, had long been an aspiration of Central Asian countries.

According to Tarar, peace in Afghanistan could facilitate the opening of trade routes from Central Asia to Pakistan, increase investment and create broader opportunities for regional economic integration.

“Only peace can become the foundation of prosperity,” he said, adding that there was a strong desire across the region for greater peace, trade and economic connectivity.

The information minister also highlighted what he described as a gap between the Afghan people and the interim government, saying large sections of the population were not being provided adequate opportunities to contribute to economic development.

He noted that Afghanistan had a predominantly young population while a large proportion of Afghan women remained outside the workforce. He said Afghan citizens deserved fundamental rights, including access to education, freedom of assembly and association, and economic opportunities.

Tarar said Afghan people should also have a voice in determining their future, calling for consensus within Afghanistan that would allow citizens greater participation in decisions affecting the country’s political and economic direction.

He maintained that the Afghan interim government needed to shift its focus towards improving the lives and economic prospects of its people.

The minister said the principle of “live and let live” should guide peaceful coexistence, arguing that Afghanistan’s stability could have far-reaching implications for security and economic development across the region.

He reiterated Pakistan’s support for negotiations aimed at finding an acceptable and friendly resolution of the Afghan issue, saying the Afghan people deserved a peaceful and prosperous future.

Tarar said sustainable peace in Afghanistan could strengthen regional stability, boost trade and investment and allow the country to realise its potential as a critical connectivity corridor between Central and South Asia.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026