Pakistan puts terrorism and Afghan soil-based militant groups at centre of Moscow discussion, while Kabul emphasises diplomacy
Kabul Times Report
MOSCOW: Regional powers gathered in Moscow on Monday for the eighth meeting of the Moscow Format Consultations on Afghanistan, with terrorism, regional security and the future of Afghanistan dominating discussions.
Representatives from Russia, Pakistan, China, India, Iran and Central Asian countries participated in the consultations, alongside a delegation representing Afghanistan’s Taliban authorities.
Pakistan used the forum to place terrorism and the presence of militant groups on Afghan soil at the centre of the regional discussion. Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, said terrorism remained at the core of Afghanistan’s problems and highlighted the security threats faced by Pakistan from militant groups operating from Afghan territory.
According to Pakistani officials, terrorist violence linked to groups based in Afghanistan has resulted in thousands of deaths in Pakistan in recent years. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan authorities to take effective action against militant organisations operating from their territory.
The Pakistani position comes amid continuing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, with Pakistan maintaining that Afghanistan must ensure its territory is not used for attacks against neighbouring countries.
Kabul, however, adopted a different emphasis at the Moscow meeting. Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi said the problems between Pakistan and Afghanistan could be resolved through dialogue and diplomacy, while accusing Pakistan of military aggression.
The contrasting positions highlighted the continuing gap between Islamabad and Kabul over the security situation along their shared border.
For Pakistan, the issue is not simply a bilateral disagreement but a broader regional security concern. Islamabad has consistently argued that militant groups operating from Afghan territory pose a threat not only to Pakistan but also to regional stability.
The Moscow Format, launched as a platform for regional consultations on Afghanistan, has provided an important forum for neighbouring countries and other regional powers to discuss security, political and economic developments in the country.
Russia, which hosted Monday’s meeting, also stressed that Afghanistan should not become a platform for the return of Western military infrastructure. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov rejected the possibility of NATO military infrastructure being established in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries.
The discussions came at a time when relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan remain strained, particularly over cross-border militancy and accusations concerning militant sanctuaries.
While Kabul continues to advocate dialogue as the way forward, Islamabad has increasingly stressed that diplomacy must be accompanied by concrete action against militant groups operating from Afghan soil.
The Moscow meeting therefore once again brought the central regional dilemma into focus: whether Afghanistan can provide credible security assurances to its neighbours while maintaining its current political and security approach.
For Pakistan, the answer remains closely tied to the elimination of militant safe havens and effective action against groups that Islamabad says are using Afghan territory to plan and facilitate attacks inside Pakistan.