Pakistani minister urges Afghan interim government to abandon 'militant mindset'

Pakistan's Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said Tuesday that Afghanistan's interim government needs to move away from what he described as a militant mindset and adopt a more statesmanlike approach to achieve lasting peace and prosperity in the region, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

Tarar said Pakistan believes in peace and has consistently supported peaceful approaches to regional issues, APP reported, though the outlet's account of his remarks was cut short and did not include his full statement.

The comments come amid a period of strained relations between Islamabad and the Afghan Taliban-led interim government, with Pakistan repeatedly accusing Kabul of failing to rein in militant groups operating from Afghan territory that Pakistan says carry out attacks inside its borders.

The Afghan interim government has generally denied that it allows its territory to be used for attacks against neighboring countries and has called on Pakistan to address the roots of militancy through dialogue rather than unilateral accusations.

APP's report did not specify the forum in which Tarar made his remarks, nor did it include any immediate response from Afghan officials.

Relations between the two neighbors have fluctuated since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, with periods of diplomatic engagement interspersed with tension over cross-border militancy, trade disruptions and other bilateral issues.