Afghan soil must not be used for terrorism: DG ISPR

WEB DESK -- Director General ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry says Pakistan's firm and principled demand from the Afghan Taliban regime remains to ensure that Afghan soil is not used for terrorism inside Pakistan.

In an interview with Arab News, he said this is Pakistan's only demand from Afghanistan and that this can fix everything, and if they do not fix it, then the state of Pakistan will fix it in the way it should be.

The DG ISPR said Pakistan reserves the right to self-defence if the Taliban regime fails to honour its commitments under the Doha Agreement of not letting Afghan soil be used for terrorist activities.

He made it clear that Pakistan has absolutely no problem with Afghanistan or the Afghan people, but its problem is with the non-inclusive and non-representative Taliban regime, which continues to support and harbour terrorist groups.

The DG ISPR said nearly 80 percent of suicide bombers are Afghans. He added that Afghan nationals are present in every terrorist formation trying to enter Pakistan from Afghanistan.

He said terrorists in Balochistan do not have any public support; they are trying to impose their ideology at gunpoint.

He said the terrorists' objectives in Balochistan are to keep the province deprived because if it prospers, the people will get out of their shackles.

The DG ISPR said India is sponsoring terrorism and orchestrating social media campaigns from abroad.

He categorically stated Pakistan's policy that there will be no talks with terrorists, adding that Pakistan does not negotiate with terrorists; it only kills them.

Speaking about the Middle East situation, the DG ISPR said the Pakistani leadership is in constant contact with the Saudi leadership.

He said Pakistan's commitment to the security of Saudi Arabia is unconditional and is rooted in an emotive, historic, and unbreakable bond.

He said Pakistan is fully prepared to go to any extent to ensure the security of the Harmain Sharifain and is honoring its commitments under the Mecca Defence Agreement and the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement with Saudi Arabia.