Islamabad, November 22, 2025: Pakistan has reached the limit of its patience over escalating cross-border attacks from Afghan territory and will not allow trade or transit ties to continue if they endanger Pakistani lives, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Andrabi warned on Friday.
“We cannot let trade become a licence to kill Pakistanis,” Andrabi said at the weekly press briefing, stressing that recent attacks targeting civilians, security personnel and traders have crossed a “red line.”
He said Pakistan’s decision to close border crossings and suspend trade with Afghanistan was a direct response to the continued support provided by elements within the Afghan Taliban government to terrorist outfits, including Fitna al-Khwarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.
The spokesperson added that the viability of major regional connectivity projects — TAPI, CASA-1000 and UAP — depends on the Afghan authorities halting such support and preventing further attacks against Pakistan.
Andrabi said Pakistan had welcomed mediation offers from Turkey, Iran and Russia to help reduce tensions with Kabul. He clarified that the delay in the Turkish delegation’s visit to Islamabad was due to scheduling issues, not any reluctance on Pakistan’s part.
A high-level Turkish delegation — comprising the foreign minister, defence minister and intelligence chief — is expected to visit Islamabad as part of efforts to facilitate a rapprochement between Pakistan and the Afghan Taliban regime.
Commenting on reports of the Afghan trade minister’s visit to India, Andrabi said Pakistan respects Afghanistan’s sovereign right to pursue bilateral engagements. However, he stressed that Pakistan–Afghanistan relations “must be based on merit and not influenced by third-party considerations.”
On India–Pakistan relations, the spokesperson reacted cautiously to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks claiming India does not seek war, saying such statements “must be taken with a pinch of salt” in view of continued hostile rhetoric from New Delhi.
He acknowledged the United States’ role in defusing tensions in the past, including President Donald Trump’s claims of preventing another conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, but said Pakistan “remains vigilant” given ongoing threats from the Indian leadership.
Turning to international issues, Andrabi reiterated Pakistan’s principled support for Palestine, noting that the country voted in favour of the Gaza resolution at the UN Security Council despite abstentions by China and Russia.
He condemned Israel’s continued violations of ceasefire understandings and international law, urging the international community to ensure the protection of holy sites — particularly Al-Aqsa Mosque — and to curb rising settler violence.
Pakistan reaffirmed its support for a just and lasting peace based on the two-state solution.
