Rubio Says US Has Heard Pakistan’s Concerns Over Terrorism From Afghanistan, Offers Constructive Role

Washington: According to Raaz News | US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said Washington is aware of Pakistan’s concerns over terrorist attacks originating from Afghan territory and is prepared to play a constructive role if it can help ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

Speaking at a press conference in Atlanta on Saturday, Rubio responded to a question about escalating tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, saying the United States had heard Islamabad’s concerns and did not want Pakistan to be targeted by terrorism.

“Pakistan is concerned about terrorist attacks that are being sponsored from the territory of Afghanistan. They feel as if the Taliban have not done enough to constrain those attacks, and they have taken action against it,” Rubio said.

“We obviously have heard those concerns on their part. We obviously don’t want them to be targeted for terrorism. So if there’s a productive role for us to play, we would play it,” he added.

Rubio acknowledged that Washington does not have particularly close relations with the Afghan Taliban but said the United States had taken note of the attacks cited by Pakistan.

“We’re against terrorism no matter where it emanates from and who it targets,” he said.

Pakistan Calls for Action Against Militant Sanctuaries

Rubio’s remarks come amid persistent tensions between Islamabad and Kabul over Pakistan’s allegations that militant groups, particularly the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), are operating from Afghan territory and using safe havens there to launch attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad has repeatedly called on the Afghan Taliban administration to dismantle these sanctuaries and take concrete, verifiable and sustained action against armed groups threatening Pakistan’s security.

The Afghan Taliban, however, have rejected Islamabad’s accusations that Afghan territory is being used to organise attacks against Pakistan, while avoiding a categorical position on the TTP and other militant groups.

In its latest response, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Saturday strongly criticised remarks by Afghan Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, accusing Kabul of persistently refusing to address terrorism originating from Afghan soil.

Mujahid had told Hurriyat Radio that Islamabad’s “wrong policies” were preventing a resolution to the conflict, claiming Pakistan lacked the necessary readiness to settle differences through peaceful negotiations.

The Pakistani ministry said his comments reflected what it described as the Taliban leadership’s misguided approach and unwillingness to confront the root cause of deteriorating bilateral relations.

“The Taliban leadership continues to blame Islamabad’s policies while conveniently ignoring the single most important issue poisoning bilateral relations: its persistent failure to address terrorism emanating from Afghan soil,” the statement said.

The ministry reiterated that terrorism remained a red line for Pakistan and that the security of its citizens was non-negotiable. It warned that Islamabad would not tolerate militant sanctuaries across the border that threaten its national security.

It also said Pakistan reserved the right to take all necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to eliminate threats to its security, wherever they originated.

Diplomatic Efforts Fail to Break the Deadlock

Several rounds of talks between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban, facilitated by Qatar and Türkiye last year, failed to produce a workable solution to the security dispute. Pakistani officials said the Afghan side had provided no satisfactory assurances on the key issues.

Diplomatic efforts involving China this year also failed to yield a breakthrough.

Russia has meanwhile renewed its offer to facilitate a settlement if both sides request its involvement. Moscow’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Zamir Kabulov, made the proposal last month after the October 5 meeting of the Moscow Format consultations ended without a joint communiqué.

The discussions reportedly broke down over differences between the Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations regarding references to militant networks operating from Afghan territory.

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has maintained that engagement with Afghanistan cannot be unconditional. Spokesperson Sajjad Haider Khan has also rejected suggestions that Islamabad is unwilling to engage with its neighbour, saying Pakistan would welcome sincere efforts by friendly countries to help resolve the dispute.

He previously said he was not aware of any separate, formal Russian mediation initiative under discussion.

Border Clashes Add to Regional Concerns

Diplomatic deadlock has coincided with intermittent clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

In September, Pakistan carried out what it described as calibrated airstrikes in border areas in response to terrorist attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Islamabad subsequently reported drone incursions from across the border, saying the unmanned aircraft had been intercepted, followed by further retaliatory airstrikes targeting locations in Afghanistan.

Tensions continued into October, with Pakistani security forces responding to firing from the Afghan side along the border in Kurram and Lower South Waziristan’s Angoor Adda, according to security sources.

In the latest incident, Afghan forces opened fire on Pakistani border posts and residential areas in the Angoor Adda area on Tuesday, killing one local resident and injuring five members of a family.

Read More: Pakistan-Afghanistan Border Clashes: One Killed, Five Injured in Angoor Adda