Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Sunday said Pakistan’s policies on the issue of terrorist hideouts, financiers and safe havens remains vague and that no progress has been made in talks between the Afghan delegation and Pakistan in Islamabad.
“We did not see any action from Pakistani authorities; No progress has been made in specific, practical, results-oriented and time-based actions. There is no agreement to continue working on a Joint Action Plan,” said MoFA spokesman Ahmad Shekib Mustaghni.
He said that at Saturday’s meeting with the Afghan delegation in Islamabad, Pakistan did not show any clear position regarding action against terrorist hideouts, terrorist safe havens, hospitals where insurgents are treated nor in cutting off terrorist funding.
The government’s leadership will decide on the outcome of these talks, he said.
"We have not seen any progress in the results-oriented, timetable-based (issue), and specific actions from Pakistan side, especially in the fight against terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation; Fight against terrorist groups without differentiating them into good and bad groups, serious actions against terrorist sanctuaries across Durand Line, actions against hospitals where the terrorists receive treatment, serious actions against terrorist training centers,” added Mustaghni.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has said the Afghan and Pakistani officials had “good discussions” after they concluded two-days of talks on important issues.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mohammad Faisal seemed upbeat about the discussions. “Pak-Afghanistan talks. Two days of good discussions. Some agreements. Further work required,” he wrote on Twitter.
“We cannot expect any breakthrough out of the meeting unless Pakistan takes practical steps,” said CEO Abdullah Abdullah’s deputy spokesman Jawed Faisal.
“They must not suspend their consultations and talks; if the first and second rounds do not prove effective, the next time it will give results,” said Sayed Eshaq Gailani, chairman of Nahzat-e-Hambastagi Milli Afghanistan party.
The first round was held in Kabul on February 3, following the deadly Taliban-claimed attacks in Kabul on January 20 and January 27, which killed nearly 150 people and injured hundreds more.
The talks in Islamabad took place under the APAPPS, a joint action plan for cooperation in the key areas of counter-terrorism and reduction of violence, peace and reconciliation, refugees’ repatriation and joint economic development.
This was the second round of APAPPS in a week that reflects determination of both sides to pursue a policy of engagement despite differences over certain issues.