Islamabad: The Foreign Office has reiterated that foreign affairs fall under the federal government’s jurisdiction in response to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government’s initiative to send delegations to Afghanistan for discussions on security and economic ties.
“Under the Constitution, foreign affairs are the domain of the federal government,” Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated.
Meanwhile, federal government sources revealed that a senior KP official had recently announced that the federal government would be consulted before dispatching the delegations after necessary groundwork, indicating that the delegations would proceed only after federal approval.
It is understood that the federal government will evaluate all aspects of the matter before granting its consent and may even include its experts or officials in the delegations. Additionally, it will define the parameters of the discussions.
Once approved, Pakistan’s mission in Kabul may be directed to facilitate these delegations. The sources further emphasized that the KP government is unlikely to violate the established protocols in this matter.
It is noteworthy that KP Chief Minister’s Adviser, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, announced on Sunday that the provincial government would be sending two delegations to Afghanistan for talks with Kabul.
According to the terms of reference (ToRs), the first delegation will focus on creating a conducive environment for negotiations and managing diplomatic affairs, while the second delegation will include various stakeholders.
This development follows an increase in terrorist incidents in Pakistan, for which Islamabad has repeatedly blamed outlawed groups based in Kabul—an allegation strongly denied by the Taliban-led Afghan administration.
Pakistan and Afghanistan share a porous 2,500-kilometer border with multiple crossing points, playing a crucial role in regional trade and people-to-people interactions.
However, terrorism remains a primary concern for Pakistan, which has consistently urged Afghanistan to prevent groups like Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) from using its territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Islamabad’s concerns were further validated by a report submitted to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) by the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team, which exposed links between Kabul and TTP, with the former allegedly providing logistical, operational, and financial support to the latter.
Moreover, statistics compiled by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS) indicate that KP and Balochistan—both bordering Afghanistan—have been the most affected provinces, witnessing a 42% surge in terrorist attacks last month compared to December 2024.
Considering KP’s security situation, including the prolonged unrest in Kurram, KP CM Gandapur proposed in September 2024 that direct talks with Afghanistan be held to address terrorism concerns and ensure lasting peace in the volatile border regions.
This announcement, backed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, was met with strong criticism from the federal government, which deemed it a direct attack on the federation.
