• President holds separate meetings with PM, army chief
• Border skirmishes on the agenda; security forces’ response lauded
• Zardari, Shehbaz agree to continue ‘political consultations’ on key issues

ISLAMABAD: As tensions mount between Pakistan and Afghanistan due to cross-border terrorism, President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday called out the interim Taliban government for its apparent violation of the Doha accord that led to the withdrawal of the US forces from Afghanistan in 2021.

The remarks by the president came after his meeting with Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir at the presidency, where the latter met him to brief him on recent hostilities with Kabul that claimed the lives of 23 troops amid intense fighting along the entire stretch of the border. A statement issued after the meeting said that the president was also briefed on the response by the armed forces to the Taliban attack that killed more than 200 fighters.

“President Zardari expressed full confidence in the strength, valour, capacity, and preparedness of Pakistan’s armed forces,” the statement said, adding that Mr Zardari lauded the vigilance and professionalism of the security forces in defending the nation’s frontiers. He reaffirmed Pakistan would defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs, terming the attacks by the Taliban an unacceptable act of aggression.

According to the president, the Taliban regime in Kabul was constantly violating the Doha agreement through its act of providing safe havens to the terrorist groups that continued to attack the “regional countries, ther­eby destabilising the entire region, including Pakistan”. He said the Taliban failed to establish an inclusive government in Afghanistan and continued to monopolise power to the exclusion of other political and ethnic groups. He urged the Afghan Taliban to ensure their soil was not used for terrorism in Pakistan.

The tensions between the two countries flared due to an uptick in terrorist attacks, claimed by the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, in areas bordering Afghanistan. Pakistan has accused Kabul of harbouring the TTP — a fact also pointed out by the UN in its reports.

Separately, President Zardari also met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who called on him along with a group of lawmakers belonging to the ruling PML-N and the PPP. The meeting came after a war of words between the ruling allies, particularly triggered by the PPP’s demand to deploy the Benazir Income Support Programme to aid flood survivors in Punjab. The PML-N government in Punjab accused the PPP of politicising the matter and asked the party to focus on Sindh. The dispute, which disrupted parliamentary proceedings, seemingly came to an end after the PML-N leadership called on Mr Zardari in Nawabshah earlier this month. However, earlier this week, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, in an apparent dig at the Punjab government, stated that the PPP was competing internationally and not with any city or province of Pakistan.

A statement issued by the presidency said that the president and the premier discussed the ongoing political and security situation, besides the international and regional developments, during the meeting. The two leaders also took stock of matters of national significance, including the prevailing political and security situation, and recent regional as well as international developments affecting Pakistan’s strategic and economic interests. The PM also apprised the president of his recent visits to Egypt and Malaysia, including his engagements with international leaders and efforts for peace in Gaza.

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Rana Sanaullah Khan, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Senator Saleem Mandviwala, Senator Sherry Rehman, and Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari were also present.

Political affairs also came up during a one-on-one meeting between the two. The statement said they exchanged views on key national priorities and the overall direction of government policies and agreed to continue political consultations on matters of national importance.

According to a statement, PM Shehbaz expressed concern over provocations at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and paid tribute to the security forces for thwarting the attack by the Afghan Taliban in the Kurram sector. He said that the Pakistan Army gave a befitting response to the Afghan Taliban’s aggression. “The use of Afghan soil for terrorist incidents in Pakistan is highly condemnable,” he said and reiterated the country’s resolve to defend its security.

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2025