ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Saturday denied it refused an Afghan proposal to deport militants targeting its civilians and security forces during the Istanbul talks, calling the claim a deliberate distortion after an Afghan media outlet attributed the statement to a senior official in Kabul.
The two countries engaged in deadly border clashes last month that killed dozens of people on both sides before reaching a tenuous cease-fire amid peace talks mediated by Qatar and Türkiye. Pakistan has long accused Afghanistan of sheltering militants who launch cross-border attacks while urging the authorities in Kabul not to let their land be used by armed factions. Afghanistan has traditionally denied Islamabad’s allegation of any militant presence, describing Pakistan’s security challenges as its internal matter.
Pakistani officials said the Istanbul talks had a single-point agenda to ensure decisive and verifiable action against militants on Afghan soil. However, Ariana News quoted the Taliban administration's spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, in a report that Pakistan did not accept its proposal “to expel individuals whom Islamabad considers a threat” while adding that it was trying to “create conditions for the United States to retake the Bagram Air Base.”
