ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said Pakistan continues to pay the price for what he described as a misguided decision by the previous government to open the border with Afghanistan — a move he referred to as costing the country “a cup of tea.”
Addressing the Senate session, Dar said that under the pretext of a friendly gesture, the then-government “opened Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan,” allowing numerous individuals — including “around 100 hardened criminals” — to cross freely.
Without naming the PTI government, Dar sharply criticized the policy, saying it had “cost Pakistan immensely.” He told the house that he had held six telephone conversations with Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, during which Islamabad lodged a firm protest and demanded that no terrorist activities be launched from Afghan soil.
While reaffirming Pakistan’s goodwill toward Afghanistan, Dar said he was “deeply disappointed” by the continued presence of militant groups such as Fitna al-Khawarij, Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and Fitna al-Hindustan BLA, which he said were operating from Afghan territory and targeting Pakistan.
Dar noted that during recent talks in Türkiye and Qatar, facilitated by “brotherly nations,” Pakistan had presented concrete evidence of these groups’ involvement in cross-border attacks.
He expressed hope that progress would be made when Pakistani and Afghan officials meet again in Istanbul on November 6.
