ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Russia held discussions centred on regional terrorist threats, with particular focus on terrorism emanating from Afghanistan and the risks it poses to neighbouring states and broader regional security.
Pakistan emphasised the need for immediate and verifiable action by the relevant authorities in Afghanistan against these terrorist groups to ensure that Afghan territory is not used as a base for planning and conducting terrorist activities against any country.
The discussions were held during the 12th round of Pakistan-Russia Joint Working Group to Counter International Terrorism at the Foreign Office on Tuesday. They come at a time when the Taliban regime is protecting terrorist groups targeting Pakistan from across its western border.
Meanwhile, Russia in July last year officially became the first country in the world to formally recognise the Taliban regime as the legitimate government of Afghanistan. The discussions on counterterrorism were led by Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Lyubinsky, while the Pakistani delegation was led by Ambassador Khalid Jamali, Additional Foreign Secretary at Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meanwhile, in unrelated developments, Pakistan told the United Nations Security Council that it welcomed the positive trajectory of developments in Syria while expressing support for the country’s ongoing political transition, stabilisation efforts and reintegration into the international community.
