PESHAWAR: Speakers at a function on Friday expressed concern at escalating tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan and called for dialogue to defuse the situation.
They said this while addressing a policy dialogue titled “Pakistan-Afghanistan Conflict and Its Regional Impacts,” organized by the Institute of Islamic Studies (IRS).The former ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Siraj-ul-Haq, in his speech urged Muslim states to prioritize lasting peace over conflict.
“Escalating tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan will disproportionately affect the Pakhtun population living along both sides of the border, apart from straining already fragile economies,” he said. He hinted at external interference, claiming that global powers do not wish to see stability between the two neighboring Muslim states.
The JI leader stressed that dialogue remains the only viable path forward. “All disputes must be resolved through negotiations,” he said, adding that sustainable peace in the region hinges on diplomatic engagement rather than confrontation.
Speaking on the occasion, Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif, a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, criticized Islamabad’s handling of relations with Kabul. He said Pakistan should have established timely and effective diplomatic channels with Afghanistan, but instead, political point-scoring on both sides derailed meaningful dialogue and deepened mistrust.
Earlier, Dr Mohammad Iqbal Khalil, chairman of the IRS, and journalist Tahir Khan also addressed the gathering.
The speakers unanimously called for immediate negotiations, underscoring that regional peace is closely tied to mutual stability and cooperation between Pakistan and Afghanistan. They said Pakistan’s decades-long hosting of Afghan refugees, describing it as an example of remarkable generosity rarely seen elsewhere. The speakers concluded that the time has come for both nations to move beyond conflict and go for dialogue, cooperation, and peace as the only path to long-term prosperity.
