ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday once again raised the issue of modern weaponry available to terrorist groups targeting Pakistan, saying that it was a situation that demanded international attention.

She was asked to comment on recent remarks by US National Security Spokesman John Kirby that weapons worth $7 billion were leftovers of the Afghan National Army, and not left behind by the US.

“With regard to the arms in Afghanistan, we are concerned that the large amount of weaponry, which is available in Afghanistan and has now reached some terrorist entities as well, continues to pose a threat to Pakistan, especially when these terrorist entities attack Pakistani civilian and military targets. We do not want to assign blame on anyone, but the situation needs international attention. We hope all relevant parties would understand the responsibility that they have in this respect,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch told a weekly press briefing here.

She said Pakistan and the United States have a robust dialogue, in multiple areas, including on security and counterterrorism matters.

Says talks with Kabul continue over Torkham closure, Chitral attack

“We have been communicating with the United States and other partners both in the region and outside the region about Pakistan’s security concerns and our threat perception. We hope that all our friends and partners will understand security compulsions that Pakistan has in this region, including the threat of terrorism and the security situation because of the aggressive posture from our eastern neighbours vis-à-vis Pakistan”.

On the Sept 6 terrorist attack in Chitral and other parts of KP, she said the government and people of Pakistan will continue to defend themselves against the terrorist threat whether homegrown or sponsored from abroad.

“We have communicated our concerns about the latest incident to the interim Afghan authorities. We expect them to fulfill their obligations and to deny the use of Afghan soil by the terrorists for perpetuating acts of terrorism against Pakistan,” she said.

“We are engaged with the interim government of Afghanistan. We have shared our concerns with regard to the terrorist threat against Pakistan that emanates from the Afghan soil. This dialogue will continue,” she said.

Answering a question about the human and economic cost of the Torkham border closure, Ms Baloch said they were “in contact with the Afghan authorities to whom we have conveyed our concerns about the security threat that Pakistan faces and our concerns about the recent incident that took place”.

“If there is a closure of border from the Pakistan side, it is not because Pakistan wishes to create difficulties for traders and genuine visitors. It happens only when there is a grave security risk and we have to factor in those security considerations whenever the decision to open or close the border takes place,” Ms Baloch said.

“The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan should be a border of peace and amity between the two countries. For generations, it has facilitated exchange of trade and the people across the border on both sides,” she added.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2023