Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, on Tuesday met Russia&rsquo;s Ambassador to Pakistan, Albert P. Khorev, to discuss security threats posed by armed groups based in Afghanistan.&nbsp;In a post on X, Sadiq said the two sides reviewed matters of mutual interest, including regional security dynamics and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/afghan-clerics-forbid-use-of-soil-for-crossborder-terrorism" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">cross-border terrorism</a>. He noted that coordinated diplomatic efforts were also discussed to address shared security concerns stemming from militant activity in Afghanistan.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2023654317803393210&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=c4aff7d45fa999c492b8c3fc05352fa678a38b55&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px"></iframe></div></div>The meeting comes amid a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-warns-ttp-emerging-as-significant-regional-threat-from-afghan-soil" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">rise in terrorism in Pakistan</a>. Islamabad has repeatedly alleged that groups such as the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) operate from Afghan territory &mdash; an allegation the Afghan Taliban authorities have denied.&nbsp;International organizations have similarly warned about the presence of various extremist and militant outfits in Afghanistan, cautioning that their activities could threaten regional stability.&nbsp;Earlier, the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) said numerous international militant groups remain active in Afghanistan, raising the risk of security challenges spreading to neighboring states, including Russia and Pakistan.

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq meets Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev in Islamabad on Feb. 17, 2026, to discuss regional security, cross-border terrorism and threats from groups based in Afghanistan. (Photo: X/@Ambassa

Foreign Affairs

Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan says coordinated diplomatic efforts were also discussed to address shared security concerns stemming from militant activity in Afghanistan.

Pakistan, Russia discuss security threats from Afghanistan-based groups

<figure class="fr-media">ISLAMABAD: India has stepped up its engagement with Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim government, delivering 131 cartons of the tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine to the Afghan Ministry of Public Health, according to state-run Bakhtar News Agency. Each carton reportedly contains 768 doses. The Td vaccine protects against diphtheria and tetanus, with the current batch produced in August 2025 and valid until July 2028.<img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/941d2999-ce05-42be-b7ea-cd3981ea5f75-Td vaccine.webp" alt="India donates 131 cartons of the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine to Afghanistan. (Photo: Bakhtar News Agency)" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="text-align: left;">India donates 131 cartons of the Td (tetanus-diphtheria) vaccine to Afghanistan. (Photo: Bakhtar News Agency)</figcaption></figure>The shipment, received on Friday, follows India&rsquo;s recent donation of around 9.5 tons of anti-cancer medicines. Earlier, New Delhi also announced 20 ambulances for Afghanistan, five of which were handed over in October 2025. The growing outreach comes at a time when&nbsp;Afghanistan&rsquo;s ties with Pakistan are strained, especially over border tensions, and India&rsquo;s engagement is seen as a strategic counterbalance to Pakistan&rsquo;s influence. India also aims to limit Chinese dominance in Afghanistan through infrastructure and diplomatic presence. Pakistan had initially expected the authorities in Kabul to act decisively against the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and dismantle terrorist sanctuaries on Afghan soil. However, Islamabad has repeatedly <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-raises-concerns-over-indiaafghanistan-statement-rejects-afghan-ministers-remarks" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">expressed concern</a> that no effective measures were taken despite its cautions over rising cross-border terrorism. The 37th report of the UN Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, issued on Feb. 4, endorsed Pakistan&rsquo;s position that Afghan territory continues to be used by terrorist groups to launch attacks. The report noted an <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-warns-ttp-emerging-as-significant-regional-threat-from-afghan-soil" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">increase in TTP attacks against Pakistan from Afghanistan</a>, leading to heightened regional tensions. It further stated that while the Afghan de facto authorities claimed no terrorist groups were operating inside the country, no UN member state supported this view. The report observed that the TTP was accorded greater operational freedom, resulting in a surge in attacks inside Pakistan. It also highlighted that Al Qaeda continued to benefit from patronage in Afghanistan and provided training and advisory support to militant groups, particularly the TTP. The group has been linked to many attacks, particularly in the latter half of 2025, contributing to heightened tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan frontier. Last week, at least 33 people were martyred and around 169 others injured in a suicide blast at Imambargah Khadijah al-Kubra during Friday prayers. Just this week, two police officers were martyred, and six others were injured in separate attacks in two districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan has taken firm steps to safeguard its national security, including targeted actions against militant hideouts and stricter border management measures. Officials maintain that durable peace in the region requires concrete action against terrorist elements operating from Afghan soil.

Afghan Interim Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi stands with his counterpart S. Jaishankar during his official visit to India on October 10, 2025. (File photo: X/Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

Afghanistan

The growing outreach comes at a time when ties between Pakistan and the Afghan interim government have faced challenges since the fall of Kabul in August 2021.


India deepens outreach to Afghanistan amid strains in Islamabad-Kabul ties

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif said Tuesday that the country demonstrated its military preparedness and operational capability during the May 2025 conflict with India, earning international recognition and boosting confidence in the country&rsquo;s defense sector.&nbsp;Speaking on Geo News program &quot;Capital Talk,&quot; Asif said Pakistan was &ldquo;ready and proved its abilities in the May war,&rdquo; adding that the confrontation highlighted the armed forces&rsquo; resolve and effectiveness. &nbsp;Asif said the conflict exposed India&rsquo;s strategic weaknesses and damaged Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s credibility at home and abroad.&nbsp;&ldquo;India reached out to the United States and also contacted China during the fighting,&rdquo; Asif said. &ldquo;Despite that, Pakistan delivered a decisive response.&rdquo;&nbsp;He warned that any future aggression would be met in the same way.&nbsp;Asif said Pakistan&rsquo;s aircraft and weapons systems were tested during the conflict and have since attracted international attention. &ldquo;Our military platforms have drawn global interest,&rdquo; he said. When asked whether Pakistan was prepared to fight on both its eastern and western borders in 2026, Asif said, &ldquo;Yes, we are completely ready, and we proved our preparedness in May last year.&rdquo;&nbsp;Reduced reliance on IMFThe minister said growing defense procurement orders reflect rising international confidence in Pakistan&rsquo;s military capabilities.&nbsp;&ldquo;This trend can help reduce Pakistan&rsquo;s reliance on the International Monetary Fund within six months,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The two nuclear-armed neighbors went to war in May after India launched what Pakistan described as an unprovoked attack following the killing of tourists in Indian-occupied Kashmir.&nbsp;India has accused Pakistani nationals of carrying out the attack, a claim Islamabad has denied. Pakistan has instead called for a neutral, international investigation.&nbsp;The fighting ended on May 10 with a US-brokered ceasefire.&nbsp;Asif said the May conflict reinforced Pakistan&rsquo;s defense readiness and deterrence posture, adding that the country&rsquo;s armed forces are respected worldwide.&nbsp;He also raised concerns about regional security, alleging links between India and militant groups, including the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, and the Afghan Taliban.&nbsp;Responding to a question on global affairs, Asif said Russia had &ldquo;some justifications&rdquo; for its actions in Ukraine but said the Venezuelan conflict had &ldquo;no legal or moral basis,&rdquo; warning that the global order is under strain.&nbsp;Commenting on Israel, Asif called Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the world&rsquo;s &ldquo;most wanted criminal&rdquo; and a &ldquo;worst perpetrator against humanity.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;If the United States truly stands for human rights, Netanyahu should be brought to trial.&rdquo;

Security

Says the country is prepared to counter threats on both eastern and western fronts, stressing deterrence against India and warning of militant risks linked to Afghanistan.

Pakistan defense minister says May conflict proved military readiness, deterrence strength

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&#39;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that the United Nations&#39; request to allow humanitarian aid to Afghanistan would be considered, and the process would likely begin on Sunday. He was speaking to the media at the Foreign Office on Saturday. The foreign minister highlighted key official tours and developments that occurred during his recent overseas visits. Speaking on Afghanistan, Dar said that, following a UN request, Pakistan would resume humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. &ldquo;I received a request from the UN via the Foreign Office yesterday to reconsider the suspension of humanitarian aid [food, etc.] for Afghanistan,&rdquo; Dar added. &ldquo;I believe we should take positive action for the common Afghan people,&rdquo; he said. The foreign minister said that he had consulted Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and would soon consult the prime minister. He said that he was hopeful that permission for humanitarian relief would be granted by tomorrow. &ldquo;We will hopefully grant permission for essential food relief on humanitarian grounds by tomorrow,&rdquo; Dar stated. &#39;Dialogue, diplomacy&#39; preferredDiscussing terrorism-related activities across the country, the foreign minister said that since the Afghan interim regime came into power in 2021, 2,000 people had been martyred while another 20,000 had been injured, stressing that the &ldquo;situation is not sustainable.&rdquo; &ldquo;I stressed that Pakistan has the power to take kinetic action, but that it is undesirable against a brother nation,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If they don&#39;t resolve the TTP [Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan] issue, we have other options. Dialogue and diplomacy are the answers, but they must look inward and address their weaknesses,&rdquo; he added. &ldquo;It takes two to tango,&rdquo; he remarked. Qatar, T&uuml;rkiye as mediatorsDar recalled that Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye hosted mediation between Pakistan and Afghanistan; however, power centers in Afghanistan prevented a unanimous decision. &ldquo;Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye attempted mediation, but two power centers in Afghanistan prevented decisions from taking effect,&rdquo; he added. Dar stated that Pakistan was prepared to launch a cleanup operation in Afghanistan when Qatar, alongside T&uuml;rkiye, offered to mediate between the two countries.&nbsp; &ldquo;They were likely aware of our planned kinetic operation, and their government was in contact with me on an hourly basis to facilitate mediation,&rdquo; he said. &nbsp;He added that the mediators had to withdraw in embarrassment after the Taliban refused to soften their position. Border issues with AfghanistanRegarding border issues, the foreign minister said that Pakistan had hosted over &ldquo;4 million Afghan brothers for decades.&rdquo; Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said that during his visit to Kabul, the Afghan interim foreign minister informed him that the Taliban had detained around a hundred TTP terrorists along with several of their facilitators. Dar acknowledged the arrests but stressed that &ldquo;this is not enough.&rdquo;&nbsp; He said Kabul had invited Pakistan to send a delegation to verify the detentions, yet Islamabad maintains that far more decisive and sustained action is needed against TTP elements operating from Afghan soil. Recalling the Economic Cooperation Council&#39;s virtual meeting, Dar said that Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim foreign minister, Amir Khan Muttaqi, &ldquo;provoked me&rdquo; by accusing Pakistan. The foreign minister reiterated that stability in Afghanistan was imperative for peace and stability in the entire region. Pakistan to &lsquo;positively consider&#39; contributing forces as Gaza peacekeepersResponding to a question on the International Stabilization Force (ISF), Dar said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had given an &ldquo;in principle indication&rdquo; that Pakistan would also positively consider sending its forces. &ldquo;My counterproposal was that if it is not a UN Peacekeeping Force, it must be sanctioned by the UN Security Council. The subsequent US resolution&rsquo;s wording was unacceptable to us.&rdquo; He added that there was &ldquo;a thought&rdquo; that the ISF might be mandated to disarm and de-weaponize Hamas. To this, he stated: &ldquo;We are not ready for that. Our job is peacekeeping, not peace enforcement; that is the role of Palestinian law enforcement agencies.&rdquo;

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar says Pakistan is considering resuming humanitarian aid to Afghanistan following a UN request, stressing regional stability, dialogue over force, and conditional support for international stabilization efforts in Gaza.

Pakistan weighing resumption of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan: FM Dar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday said the November 11 suicide attack near the Islamabad district courts was planned and directed from Afghanistan, adding that security agencies arrested the key suspects within 48 hours.&nbsp;Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the minister said the attacker failed to reach his intended high-security target. &ldquo;The suicide bomber could not enter the main area and detonated on the outskirts of the city,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Tarar said the Intelligence Bureau and the Counter Terrorism Department acted immediately after the blast and arrested four suspects, Sajidullah alias Sheena, Kamran Khan, Muhammad Zali and Shah Munir.&nbsp;According to the minister, Sajidullah alias Sheena is the central handler who brought the bomber and the explosive vest. He previously joined the Tehreek-e-Taliban Afghanistan and received training at camps inside Afghanistan.&nbsp;Tarar said the plot was overseen by TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud through his commander Dadullah, who remains based in Afghanistan. Sajidullah travelled to Afghanistan as recently as August 2025 and stayed in contact with Dadullah through a secure application.&nbsp;After returning to Pakistan, Sajidullah met the suicide bomber, identified as Usman Shinwari, a resident of Nangarhar, and provided him with the explosive vest. &ldquo;Their target was Rawalpindi and Islamabad, but the terrorists failed to reach their objective,&rdquo; the minister said.&nbsp;He added that all arrested suspects played a role in facilitating the attack, and the network&rsquo;s links lead back across the border. A recorded confessional statement of Sajidullah was also shown during the briefing.&nbsp;Tarar praised the swift action of the Intelligence Bureau, CTD, and security forces, calling the arrests a &ldquo;major success&rdquo; that prevented a much larger tragedy. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has commended the agencies and reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to protecting citizens.&nbsp;&ldquo;The armed forces, under the leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, remain fully mobilized,&rdquo; the minister said, adding that the breakthrough will significantly support ongoing counterterrorism efforts.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar says the plot was overseen by TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud through his commander Dadullah, who remains based in Afghanistan.

Islamabad courts attacker was Afghan, plan hatched in Afghanistan, says Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan security forces killed 23 terrorists in two targeted operations near the border with Afghanistan, the army said Thursday, a week after a suicide bombing killed 12 people in Islamabad, reported the AFP. The terrorists belonged to the Pakistani Taliban or its affiliated groups, the military said in a statement, accusing India of backing them. The operations took place in the Kurram district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, a flashpoint for cross-border terrorism that has worsened since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Military&rsquo;s statement&nbsp;A statement released by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Thursday said, &ldquo;On 19 November 2025, twenty three khwarij (terrorists) belonging to Indian Proxy Fitna Al Khawarij were killed in two separate engagements in Kurram District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province.&rdquo; On the reported presence of terrorists, a targeted operation was conducted by the security forces, it said.&nbsp; During the conduct of the operation, troops engaged the terrorist location and after an intense fire exchange, 12 terrorists were killed, the statement added. Pakistan uses the term &quot;Fitna Al Khawarij&quot; to refer to the proscribed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), an umbrella network of armed terrorist groups. &lsquo;Foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism&rsquo;According to the ISPR statement: &ldquo;Capitalizing on intelligence with respect to presence of another group of terrorists, in same general area, in another intelligence-based operation, own troops successfully neutralized 11 more terrorists.&rdquo; The statement further added, &ldquo;Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorists found in the area as relentless Counter Terrorism campaign under vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam&rdquo; (as approved by Federal Apex Committee on National Action Plan) by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue at full pace to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.&rdquo; &lsquo;Kabul harboring terrorist groups&rsquo;Islamabad accuses Kabul of harboring terrorist groups, particularly the TTP, that stage deadly attacks in Pakistan, AFP reported. A suicide bombing outside a court in Islamabad killed 12 people and wounded dozens last week, which Pakistan said was planned from Afghanistan. A faction of the TTP claimed responsibility for the attack. Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have sharply deteriorated, with cross-border clashes last month prompting the worst fighting in years; the border remains closed. The South Asian neighbors agreed to a fragile ceasefire but failed to finalize its terms after several rounds of talks, each blaming the other for the impasse, according to AFP. PM lauds security forces Meanwhile, according to a statement issued by Pakistan Prime Minister&#39;s Office (Media Wing) on Thursday: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif commended the security forces&rsquo; officers and personnel in Kurram, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, for successful operations against the terrorists. The prime minister praised the professional capabilities of the security forces&rsquo; officers and personnel for killing the 23 terrorists. &ldquo;We will continue the fight against terrorism until the complete eradication of this menace from the country,&rdquo; said Sharif. &ldquo;The entire nation, including myself, stands shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Armed Forces in the unwavering resolve to protect our beloved homeland,&rdquo; said the prime minister.

The army's media wing says, ‘Sanitization operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian-sponsored terrorists found in the area’; ‘Counter Terrorism campaign by security forces and law enforcement agencies of Pakistan will continue.’

Pakistan army kills 23 terrorists in border region: spox

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has arrested four members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) cell behind the Nov. 11 suicide bombing outside Islamabad&rsquo;s G-11 District Judicial Complex, including the group&rsquo;s commander, according to an official government statement released Friday. The suspects were detained in a joint Intelligence Bureau and Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) operation that dismantled what authorities described as a Fitna al-Khawarij network, Pakistan&rsquo;s term for the TTP, invoking a historical radical sect known for rebellion and violent extremism. According to the statement, Sajidullah, alias Sheena, identified as the handler of the bomber, &ldquo;confessed&rdquo; during interrogation that TTP/FAK Commander Saeed-ur-Rehman, alias Daadullah, had tasked him with carrying out an attack in Islamabad &ldquo;to cause maximum casualties of law enforcement agencies.&rdquo; The government said, &ldquo;TTP/FAK Commander Saeed-ur-Rehman, alias Daadullah, a resident of Charmang, Bajaur, and currently in Afghanistan, contacted Sajidullah, alias Sheena, through the Telegram application to carry out a suicide attack in Islamabad.&rdquo; It added, &ldquo;Daadullah sent pictures of the suicide bomber Usman, alias Qari, to Sajidullah for receiving him upon his arrival.&rdquo; The statement continued: &ldquo;Suicide bomber Usman, alias Qari, belonged to the Shinwari tribe and was a resident of Achin, Nangarhar, Afghanistan.&rdquo; It said, &ldquo;When he reached Pakistan from Afghanistan, Sajidullah, alias Sheena, arranged his stay in a residence near Islamabad.&rdquo; Following Daadullah&rsquo;s instructions, &ldquo;Sajidullah, alias Sheena, collected a suicide jacket from Akhun Baba graveyard in Peshawar and brought it to Islamabad.&rdquo; On the day of the attack, the statement added, &ldquo;Sajidullah Sheena set the suicide jacket on SB Usman, alias Qari.&rdquo; The network was &ldquo;handled and guided at every step&rdquo; by the Afghanistan-based TTP leadership, the statement said, confirming that &ldquo;the entire cell involved in the incident, including its commander and three other members, has been arrested.&rdquo; Authorities said investigations are continuing and that &ldquo;more revelations and arrests are expected.&rdquo; At least 12 people were martyred and dozens injured when the attacker detonated explosives outside the District Judicial Complex after being prevented from entering the premises. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi earlier said the bomber blew himself up near a police vehicle at approximately 12:39 p.m.

In a joint operation conducted by Pakistan’s intelligence and CTD, authorities arrest four TTP-linked militants accused of orchestrating the Islamabad judicial complex bombing.

Pakistan arrests four Afghanistan-based TTP terrorists over Islamabad bombing

Muhammad Imad Abbas

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s top intelligence official, Lieutenant General Asim Malik, has arrived in Istanbul to resume negotiations with the Afghan Taliban leadership, security sources told Pakistan TV Digital on Wednesday.&nbsp;Malik, the Director-General of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), is expected to meet Afghanistan&rsquo;s interim intelligence chief Abdul Haq Wasiq as both sides enter the next phase of talks on the ongoing ceasefire and cross-border security arrangements.&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif earlier confirmed the delegation&rsquo;s travel plans and reiterated that Islamabad expects decisive action against militant groups operating from Afghan territory, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA).&nbsp;The ceasefire was initially agreed in Doha on October 18&ndash;19 and reaffirmed during last week&rsquo;s discussions in Istanbul. A principal-level meeting is scheduled for November 6 to finalize implementation details, including the establishment of a joint monitoring and verification mechanism.&nbsp;Afghan spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid has said that both sides will continue talks to address remaining issues, stressing Kabul&rsquo;s desire for stable, respectful, and non-interfering bilateral relations.&nbsp;Officials describe the progress as a significant move toward regional stability, while underscoring that the ceasefire remains conditional on Afghan territory not being used for attacks in Pakistan.&nbsp;&ldquo;This outcome reflects patience, diplomacy, and firm commitment to national interest,&rdquo; one official said.

Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations meet again today in Istanbul to finalize ceasefire implementation and anti-terror measures.

Pakistan intelligence chief in Türkiye for crucial Afghan talks

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Tuesday that Islamabad had presented &lsquo;concrete evidence&rsquo; of attacks from Afghan soil to Kabul in recent talks. &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; He was responding to concerns expressed by opposition lawmakers in the Senate of Pakistan. FM Dar said that recent dialogues with the interim Afghan government, held in T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar, focused on engaging Afghan authorities to curb cross-border terrorism. He said that groups such as Fitna al-Khawarij (Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan) and the Balochistan Liberation Army were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. Combating terrorism&nbsp;The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to combating terrorism, urging the interim Afghan government to ensure its territory is not used for hostile activities against Pakistan. Speaking in the Senate, he said that incidents of terrorism have increased even more than in 2012. Agreements made with Afghan Taliban previously, too&ldquo;[Yesterday] Mr Muttaqi called us six times. I told him we want only one thing from you: that your soil should not be used against Pakistan,&rdquo; said the foreign minister. &ldquo;[I told him that] the government has taken a decision, and we will fight [terrorism] to the last breath.&rdquo; Dar said that till 2018, because of Pakistan&#39;s security forces&#39; operations, terrorist attacks in the country had gone down considerably. He said that after the Afghan Taliban came to power, for four years, there were no formal engagements between the two countries. &ldquo;I went to Afghanistan, talked with them, and made agreements.&rdquo; The foreign minister said he asked only one thing of them: that Afghanistan&rsquo;s territory not be used against Pakistan. Dar said that an effort was made to start a train service from Afghanistan to other countries. Unfortunately, with the current government in Afghanistan, violent incidents have increased daily, affecting plans for such a project. Releasing terrorists from prison a mistakeThe foreign minister said that 40,000 TTP members came to Pakistan from Afghanistan, and that the government at that time released more than 100 hardcore terrorists from prisons. Such mistakes, he said, should never have been made. He said that a few years ago, there were 38,000 religious seminaries, and now there are 150,000. He expressed hope that talks between the two sides in Istanbul on Nov. 6 will advance. Trump&rsquo;s active role during Pak-India conflictDar said that US President Donald Trump played an active role during the Pak-India conflict from May 6 to 10, and that the UAE, the UK, and Qatar maintained extensive contact during that period. India had launched 80 drones against Pakistan; the army neutralized 79 of them, while one caused minor damage to military installations, he said. The foreign minister said that India&rsquo;s attempt to construct a false narrative was exposed. The operation against India began at 4 a.m. and ended at 8 a.m. At 8:17 a.m., he said, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called to say that India was ready for a ceasefire. Dar said that the letter recommending President Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize was written on June 11. &quot;The role played by the United States was acknowledged through that letter, which was sent under my signature,&quot; he said.&nbsp;The letter will be considered next year, as nominations for the Nobel Prize are accepted till January, he added.

Speaking in the Senate, he said that terrorist groups were operating from Afghan soil and conducting terrorist activities against Pakistan. 

Kabul was presented 'concrete evidence' of Afghan-based attacks: Pakistan foreign minister

Mariam Ellahi

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is hoping for a &ldquo;positive outcome&rdquo; in the next round of talks with the Afghan Taliban set for November 6, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said Friday, while calling on Kabul to honor its security commitments and prevent cross-border terrorism.&nbsp;Briefing reporters in Islamabad, Andrabi confirmed the conclusion of four-day discussions in Istanbul between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, talks that were initially planned to last two days. He said Pakistan extended the negotiations &ldquo;in an effort to reach an amicable agreement.&rdquo;&nbsp;Responding to a Pakistan TV Digital question on the difference in tone between his remarks and those of Pakistan&rsquo;s defense minister, Andrabi said, &ldquo;It is our professional hazard to be optimistic.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I would call it guarded optimism,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We have been engaged with the Taliban for four years.&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s difficult to be optimistic, but one must remain hopeful.&rdquo;&nbsp;A joint statement issued by T&uuml;rkiye and Qatar on Thursday noted that Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to a ceasefire mechanism along with a monitoring and verification framework intended to maintain peace and impose penalties for violations.&nbsp;Andrabi stressed that Pakistan had engaged &ldquo;positively&rdquo; without compromising its stance that Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.&nbsp;He said Islamabad &ldquo;expects the Afghan Taliban regime to honor its commitments to the international community&rdquo; and take &ldquo;concrete and verifiable actions&rdquo; against terrorist groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), referred to by Pakistani officials as &ldquo;Fitna al-Khwarij,&rdquo; and militants linked to India, described as &ldquo;Fitna Al-Hindustan.&rdquo;&nbsp;He said Pakistan had repeatedly provided Kabul with credible intelligence on the presence of these groups inside Afghanistan, yet cross-border attacks had increased in recent months.&nbsp;The spokesperson referred to &ldquo;unprovoked aggression&rdquo; along the border in October, warning that Pakistan would respond &ldquo;resolutely&rdquo; if such provocations continued.&nbsp;Despite tensions, Andrabi said Pakistan remains committed to a stable relationship with its western neighbor, adding that Islamabad has supported Afghanistan through transit trade concessions, elevated diplomatic ties to ambassador level, and agreed to expand the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.&nbsp;Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, he noted, has visited Kabul three times this year, including to sign the Joint Feasibility Study for the Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan railway project.&nbsp;&ldquo;The Government and armed forces of Pakistan stand ready to take all possible measures to protect Pakistan&rsquo;s sovereignty and ensure the safety and security of its people,&rdquo; Andrabi said, adding that Pakistan would continue to engage in mediation efforts.&nbsp;He thanked Qatar and T&uuml;rkiye for their &ldquo;constructive role.&rdquo;&nbsp;On GazaThe spokesperson said consultations on an international stabilization force for Gaza are ongoing among regional partners. Pakistan, he said, will continue working with Arab and Islamic countries to secure &ldquo;lasting peace&rdquo; and the Palestinians&rsquo; &ldquo;right to self-determination,&rdquo; while condemning renewed Israeli strikes as a &ldquo;flagrant&rdquo; violation of international law.&nbsp;On US sanctions waiver for India&nbsp;Regarding the US decision to allow India to operate Iran&rsquo;s Chabahar Port under a six-month sanctions waiver, Andrabi said Pakistan has &ldquo;taken note&rdquo; and &ldquo;welcomes any decision that leads to economic development in our brotherly country Iran,&rdquo; but cautioned that India must not &ldquo;abuse this opening to promote terrorism or subversion through adjacent borders.&rdquo;&nbsp;On US&ndash;India defense frameworkAndrabi described the recent US&ndash;India defense understanding as still under review, saying Islamabad is &ldquo;evaluating [it], particularly with reference to its impact on peace, security, and stability in South Asia,&rdquo; and would comment further at a later stage.&nbsp;Pakistan&ndash;EU migration dialogueThe spokesperson also discussed the third Pakistan&ndash;EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue held in Islamabad this week, in which both sides reviewed progress under the EU Readmission Agreement and Talent Partnership roadmap.&nbsp;He said both sides appreciated the &ldquo;growing level of cooperation&rdquo; and agreed to hold the next round in Brussels.

During a Foreign Office press briefing in Islamabad, Spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi says Pakistan expects meaningful progress in upcoming talks with the Afghan Taliban, urging Kabul to fulfill counterterrorism commitments and prevent cross-border attacks.

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