ISLAMABAD: Pakistan called upon the Afghan government authorities on Thursday to take concrete and effective action against entities using the Afghan territory to foment terror attacks inside Pakistan.
“We have conveyed our concerns to the Afghan authorities on multiple occasions,” stated the spokeswoman at the Foreign Office during the weekly media briefing. “We respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Afghanistan. We expect the Afghan authorities to uphold their sovereignty and take action against those terror groups which have found sanctuaries inside Afghanistan and are using Afghan territory to attack Pakistan,” said the spokeswoman.
The Foreign Office spokeswoman once again reiterated that Pakistan had no plans of entering into any talks with a terror group (TTP) that has been involved in killing of Pakistani and foreign citizens in Pakistan. “This is what Pakistan has said and I have repeated several times from this podium. In that respect, any statement that may have come from any side should be taken in the proper context of Pakistan’s position with regard to dialogue with TTP,” she added.
As reports circulated that Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is expected to visit Kabul as a breakthrough took place in behind-the-scenes meetings, the spokeswoman did not refute such a visit.
“The visit of any dignitary, including the foreign minister, to a foreign country, takes place by mutual consultation of the two governments. The foreign minister will undertake a visit to Afghanistan or to any other country after bilateral consultations and mutual agreement on the dates by the two sides,” was the cautious response.
Regarding the government’s decision to host an all-parties conference to review its strategy towards counterterrorism, Pakistan pointed out that it was concerned about the terror threat that it faces from individuals and entities, which have support and sponsorship from across the border in Afghanistan.
She also clarified reports that were causing confusion as far as the return of Afghans to their homes were concerned. “There are different categories of Afghan nationals based in Pakistan. There are Afghan nationals who enjoy refugee status in Pakistan, and then there are Afghan nationals in possession of Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) and Proof of Registration (PoR) cards. The federal cabinet decided to extend the PoR cards for another year,” she added.
Meanwhile, the illegal foreign repatriation plan is being implemented, as per its provisions in different phases, in an orderly and phased manner. “We have seen the first phase has progressed in a fast manner. It is nearing completion. The number of illegal foreigners, including Afghan nationals, who have been repatriated to their home countries, were higher in the initial months of its implementation. These numbers are gradually coming down as more and more individuals have been returning to their home countries,” she explained.
The second phase pertains to Afghan nationals who possess ACCs and for that purpose, a mapping exercise is taking place. “Implementation and initiation of phase-2 will be announced by the Government of Pakistan. At this stage, I do not have a date to share with you.”
“The third category is that of the PoR card holder Afghan nationals. That category is not being considered for repatriation at this stage. For them, the PoR cards have been extended for one year. And lastly, with regard to Afghan refugees in Pakistan, we have said repeatedly that the ‘illegal foreigners’ repatriation plan does not apply to individuals who enjoy refugee status in Pakistan,” she added.
A message was sent to some Western world capitals by the Foreign Office that lagged behind in commitments to relocate Afghans who have been waiting for three years. “Pakistan engaged with certain governments, and these governments include Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, United States and Italy. These countries agreed to take certain number of Afghan nationals. We have remained engaged with them and have urged them to expedite the approval and visa issuance process for these individuals, so that they are relocated as early as possible,” said the spokeswoman.
There are thousands of Afghans waiting in Pakistan to be relocated to the third countries. Pakistan has shown extreme patience as these rich Western capitals drag their feet and appear reluctant to honour their commitments.
Individuals who have been pre-approved for relocation and are currently in Pakistan include around 9,000, who are to go to Australia, around 6,000 would go to Canada, around 3,000 to Germany, 1,127 to the United Kingdom and some to France and Italy. “There is also a large number of Afghan nationals who are to be resettled by the United States and the list which was provided to us is of around 25,000 individuals,” she added.
