Islamabad: Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi has reiterated Pakistan’s demand for written assurances from the Afghan leadership that their soil will not be used by terrorist groups to carry out attacks within Pakistan. He made these remarks during his weekly press briefing in Islamabad.

According to Radio Pakistan, Andrabi responded to a question regarding a resolution passed by Afghan scholars, which states that Afghan soil will not be used against other countries. He acknowledged that any recognition by the Afghan leadership or society that their territory is being used to perpetuate terrorism in Pakistan is a positive development and would certainly be welcomed. However, he emphasized that similar commitments have been made in the past but were not honored. He stated that the resolution does not qualify as a full written assurance.

He further expressed Pakistan’s willingness to provide humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, given the affinity and care for the Afghan people. The spokesperson also welcomed a US package of six hundred and eighty-six million dollars for the upgradation of F-16s, noting that it is part of regular defense cooperation and that Pakistan looks forward to expanding multifaceted cooperation with the US.

Tahir Andrabi also lamented that the SAARC process continues to be blocked by India and expressed hope for its revival. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to multilateralism. Additionally, the spokesperson highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir is on the agenda of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, describing it as an unsettled, legally recognized, UN-mandated international dispute. He condemned human rights violations in IIOJK and reiterated Pakistan’s support for the Kashmiri people in their quest for self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions.

In response to a question about a Pakistan-UK extradition treaty, Andrabi clarified that there is no formal extradition treaty between the two countries. However, he noted that extradition cases can be processed on a case-by-case basis and mentioned that certain cases had been submitted to the British High Commission in Islamabad for consideration.