ISLAMABAD: Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi has said that no cooperation with Israel is taking place, all reports related to espionage or spyware are mere speculations, media reports related to Israel are baseless, and Pakistan clearly rejects such reports.
At the weekly briefing in Islamabad, he expressed his ignorance about the talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan in Saudi Arabia and said that he is aware of the media reports regarding the Pak-Afghan talks in Saudi Arabia, but I does not have any new information in this regard.
He said that the Turkish President had announced two weeks ago that a high-level Turkish delegation would come to Islamabad, the reason for the Turkish delegation did not come because of a lack of cooperation from the Taliban. He said that the government has closed the border with Afghanistan for its own safety, and they do not want our citizens to be targets of terrorism. The border is closed for that reason, and the border will remain closed until a firm assurance is received from Afghanistan.
He clarified that the problem is not only TTP; Afghan citizens have also been involved in serious crimes in Pakistan. The context of the border closure should be understood in this reality; trade routes and border crossings remain closed.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said that Pakistan had opened the border only for humanitarian aid, and only UN relief goods have been exempted. Pakistan has no differences with the people of Afghanistan; they are our brothers and sisters. There are security reasons for the border closure. Pakistan has always been positive in the aid corridor for the Afghan people.
Attacks from Afghanistan, return of global terrorism, US and Tajikistan incidents are serious, Pakistan has been a victim of terrorism for decades, and help should be provided in the evacuation of Afghan citizens, the Foreign Office said. The Foreign Office spokesperson said that the aid delivery will start in phases, and the dates of the schedule for the three categories will be provided later. The relevant schedule will be checked from the records of the ministry.
He said that the states are independent in expanding their bilateral relations, consultations with the Ministry of Commerce and the Foreign Office have been completed, all formalities have been directed to expedited, and the border policy is related to practical cooperation to eliminate terrorism from Afghan soil in Pakistan. He further said that tomorrow is the 33rd anniversary of the Babri Masjid’s martyrdom; this incident is still a cause of concern and sorrow. The demolition of the Babri Masjid is painful for those who stand against intolerance and religious discrimination.
The spokesperson said that the protection of religious heritage and holy places is the shared responsibility of the international community, transparent accountability is necessary for every act of harming Muslim religious symbols and historical heritage, and desecration of any holy place is a violation of the principles of religious equality.
Tahir Hussain Andrabi said that there is deep concern about the sense of deprivation and mental anguish of Indian Muslims. State patronage has emboldened Hindu fascist organizations, and Hindu organizations are busy trying to completely marginalize Indian Muslims and other minorities.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said that he was not aware of the UN report on the increasing contacts between Afghan and Indian officials. The normal diplomatic and trade cooperation between India and Afghanistan is not objectionable. The problem arises when a third country increases cooperation with Afghanistan by viewing Pakistan in a zero-sum manner. This is worrying. Pakistan will continue to monitor this issue and will continue to raise its concerns.
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