Islamabad, October 11, 2025 - Pakistan has summoned the Afghan ambassador to convey its strong reservations regarding a joint statement issued by India and Afghanistan during Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi's visit to New Delhi. The Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad issued a statement expressing concerns over the remarks made by the Afghan caretaker foreign minister during his visit.
The primary concerns for Pakistan stem from the joint statement's reference to Jammu and Kashmir as being part of India, which Pakistan argues contravenes United Nations resolutions. According to the FO, this position disregards the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people and their struggle for self-determination. The Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) summoned the Afghan envoy to formally lodge Pakistan's protest, asserting that the mention of Jammu and Kashmir as part of India is a clear violation of relevant United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolutions and the disputed region's legal status.
Furthermore, Pakistan has rejected the assertion made by Mr. Muttaqi that terrorism is an internal issue of Pakistan. Islamabad maintains that terrorism is a regional challenge emanating from Afghan soil. The Foreign Office stated that Pakistan has, on several occasions, shared details with Afghanistan regarding the presence of "Fitna al-Kharij" and "Fitna al-Hindistan" elements operating against Pakistan from within Afghanistan. Pakistan insists that the interim Afghan government cannot deflect responsibility for controlling terrorism onto Pakistan and that it remains the duty of Afghan authorities to take effective measures for promoting regional peace and stability.
During the visit, which marked the first such trip by a Taliban leader to India since 2021, India announced it would reopen its embassy in Kabul, which had been closed since the Taliban takeover. Both India and Afghanistan jointly condemned all acts of terrorism emanating from regional countries, emphasizing the importance of regional peace, stability, and mutual trust.
Despite these diplomatic tensions, Pakistan has reaffirmed its desire for a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Afghanistan. The FO emphasized that Pakistan has extended trade, economic, and connectivity facilitation to promote socio-economic cooperation between the two nations. However, Pakistan maintains that it has a duty to ensure the safety of its people and expects the Afghan government to take concrete measures to prevent its territory from being used by terrorist elements against Pakistan.
Pakistan has hosted over four million Afghan refugees for more than four decades. While expecting undocumented Afghan nationals to return to their homeland, Pakistan continues to issue medical and educational visas to Afghan citizens on humanitarian grounds.
