Pakistan in regular contact with Russia as Moscow offered to mediate with Afghan Taliban: envoy

Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban reached a ceasefire in Doha on Oct. 19, but tensions remain high between the neighbours after two subsequent rounds of talks to devise a mechanism against terrorist organizations using Afghan soil remained inconclusive in Istanbul due to the inconsistent position of the Taliban delegation.

Pakistan remains consistent on its basic demand that the Afghan Taliban regime take clear and verifiable actions against militant groups operating from Afghan soil. 

“Russia has offered to mediate between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime,” Ambassador Tirmizi told Pakistan TV.

“Russia has been kind enough to offer its assistance, and we are already in regular contact with the Russian government [regarding this] as well,” he added.

Last month, the ambassador said Pakistan attended a talk on Afghanistan in Moscow where Russians were trying to tell the Afghan Taliban that they should be a factor of stability and connectivity in the region rather than a factor of instability. 

“That is the whole endeavor on the part of Pakistan as well as Russia to convince the Taliban regime whether they want to be part of the Eurasian dream under SCO,” he continued.

“Then they have to ensure that their soil is not used against any territory, any country or against any religion, be it Pakistan, Central Asia or Russia.”

Tirmizi said the SCO-member states consider it fundamental to persuade the Afghan Taliban regime to review its policies if wanted to be accepted as a credible partner in the international arena.

“Their soil should not be used to destabilise other countries of the world,” he added.

The Pakistani envoy said Russia understands that without peace in Afghanistan there cannot be any meaningful exchanges in all SCO states. 

“Because Afghanistan is the linchpin which connects South Asia to Central Asia and Eurasian landmass,” he added.