Islamabad, December 12, 2025: Pakistan on Thursday welcomed a resolution passed by Afghan scholars discouraging the use of Afghanistan’s soil for cross-border attacks, terming it a “positive development.” However, Islamabad reiterated its demand for formal written assurances from the Taliban administration.
The response came after Afghan media reported that scholars at Kabul University had emphasized that Afghan territory must not be used to harm or threaten any other nation.
Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi, during his weekly media briefing, acknowledged the resolution but expressed reservations over Kabul’s past failure to honour similar commitments.
“Such assurances have been made previously but were not followed through by the Afghan Taliban regime,” Andrabi said. He added that while the resolution is encouraging, “it does not qualify to be a full written assurance.”
The spokesperson reaffirmed that Pakistan values the welfare of the Afghan people and remains willing to extend humanitarian support whenever needed.
Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have remained strained due to persistent terror attacks inside Pakistan, which Islamabad says are being orchestrated by Afghan nationals operating from across the border.
The situation deteriorated sharply in October when the armed forces of both countries exchanged fire for nearly a week. The clashes began on October 12, when Taliban forces — backed by affiliated militants — launched an unprovoked assault on Pakistani border posts.
Pakistan’s retaliatory strikes reportedly killed more than 200 Afghan Taliban fighters and associated militants. The Pakistan Armed Forces also carried out “precision strikes” deep inside Afghan territory, targeting locations in Kabul and Kandahar.
Pakistan lost 23 soldiers during the week-long hostilities.
Although a ceasefire has since been in place, the two sides have yet to reach an agreement on preventing cross-border attacks and ensuring long-term border stability.
No formal extradition treaty with the UK, says FO
Responding to another query, the FO spokesperson clarified that Pakistan does not have a formal extradition treaty with the United Kingdom.
His remarks came amid Islamabad’s recent efforts to extradite former special assistant to the prime minister Mirza Shahzad Akbar and retired army major-turned-YouTuber Adil Raja, who are wanted in separate cases in Pakistan.
Earlier this month, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi raised the issue with UK High Commissioner Jane Marriott, formally handing over extradition documents. Naqvi told the British envoy that both individuals were “wanted in Pakistan” and should be “immediately handed over.”
While Andrabi did not confirm how many cases were formally submitted, he said that extradition requests could still be processed “on a case-to-case basis.”
Akbar, once a close aide to former prime minister Imran Khan on interior and accountability matters, has been living in London since April 2022.
Major (retd) Adil Raja, accused of anti-Pakistan activities and incitement on social media, was convicted under the Pakistan Army Act in 2023 and sentenced through a Field General Court Martial. He currently resides in the UK.
