Foreign Ministry spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan has said cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan remains high on the agenda in all interactions with the Kabul administration.
He also revealed that eight Pakistani nationals, including Asif Merchant and Muhammad Pehlwan, are currently detained in the United States on various criminal charges.
At the weekly press conference on Friday, the FO spokesperson said that Pakistan’s security forces continue to act against terrorist groups operating within the country’s borders to safeguard its citizens.
“Cross-border terrorism from Afghanistan is a key issue that we constantly raise with the Afghan authorities. Protecting our state and citizens is Pakistan’s primary responsibility,” he said.
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Khan emphasized that Pakistan believes that Afghanistan must regain full control over its security and territorial integrity.
“Afghanistan should take decisive measures against terrorist groups operating within its territory, in particular against the group known as Fitna al-Khawarij,” the spokesperson added.
He said the schedule of the Afghan Foreign Minister’s visit to Pakistan is yet to be finalised, but both sides are working out the details.
To a question about the Nobel Peace Prize, the FO spokesperson said Pakistan took the decision to nominate Trump based on his important and positive role in reducing tensions between Pakistan and India in May, which led to the ceasefire.
Also read: White House criticizes Nobel committee for snubbing Trump in Peace Prize decision
Responding to a question, Khan confirmed that eight Pakistani nationals, including Asif Merchant and Muhammad Pehlwan, are currently in US custody on different criminal charges.
“Muhammad Pehlwan has been indicted by US authorities on terrorism-related charges but has not yet been sentenced. Once his sentence is completed, he will serve the remainder of his sentence in Pakistan. His travel documents are being prepared,” the spokesperson said.
Pehlwan was accused of transporting weapons to the Houthis in Yemen from Iran. He was among four suspects detained on January 11, 2024 in an operation conducted by the United States Navy Seals off the coast of Somalia in the Arabian Sea.
He added that Asif Merchant’s case is also being examined in a US court.
Merchant was reportedly charged in the United States in connection with a foiled assassination attempt on US President Donald Trump.
According to a criminal complaint, the 46-year-old man attempted to recruit people in the United States to carry out the plot. The attempt was allegedly retaliation for the US assassination of Iran’s top Revolutionary Guard commander Qasem Soleimani in 2020.
Merchant, who prosecutors say spent time in Iran before coming to the United States, was charged with murder for hire in federal court in Brooklyn, New York. A federal judge ordered his arrest on July 16, according to court records.
