Islamabad: Pakistan on Friday reiterated its concern over the weapons left by the US in Afghanistan after hasty withdrawal in 2021.
Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said at the weekly briefing that those sophisticated weapons were being used by terrorists for attacks inside Pakistan.
“We have impressed upon the international community and Afghan authorities to address this issue,” he said.
The spokesperson said Pakistan looked forward to cooperative relations with Afghanistan but the presence of terrorist sanctuaries on the Afghan territory was the chief hurdle. He also vowed that Pakistan would continue to pursue these issues with the Afghan authorities.
As regards the closure of Torkham border, the spokesperson said operational constraints forced Pakistan to take this action, highlighting that the Afghan side was trying to construct a border post on the Pakistani side of the border.
He said Pakistan urged the Afghan authorities to resolve such issues through bilateral mechanisms such as Joint Coordination Committee meetings instead of resorting to unilateral actions. He hoped the matter would be resolved.
Separately, The Express Tribune reported that Pakistan conveyed to the US that it would deport all Afghans awaiting resettlement in America if the deadline set for their relocation was not met or their cases were turned down. Agencies