RASC News Agency: According to reports from Pakistani media, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry has announced that the leaders of Turkey and Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to fostering a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. In a statement released on Friday, February 14, both nations underscored the critical importance of establishing an inclusive government, safeguarding human rights particularly those of women and girls and intensifying efforts to counter terrorism within Afghanistan. The statement highlights Pakistan and Turkey’s shared stance on inclusive governance, the protection of citizens’ rights especially those of women and girls and the sustained provision of humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif specifically urged the Taliban to cooperate with Islamabad in the fight against terrorism.
According to the statement, Shehbaz Sharif conveyed his deep concerns regarding the threat of terrorism in Afghanistan during discussions with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry further noted that both leaders issued a stark warning that Afghanistan must not be allowed to become a sanctuary for terrorist organizations. Additionally, they called on the Taliban to take decisive action against ISIS and Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). These demands come despite Pakistan and Turkey maintaining close diplomatic ties with the Taliban and officially recognizing their envoys. However, Pakistan appears to be shifting away from its long-standing policy of tacit support for extremism and terrorism, whereas Erdogan has now openly embarked on this perilous and destabilizing trajectory.
For decades, Pakistan has pursued a strategy of leveraging militant groups in Afghanistan and beyond to serve its geopolitical and economic interests a path that Erdogan now appears to be following. While Pakistan’s motivations for such policies have historically been rooted in political and economic calculations, Erdogan’s approach is reportedly driven by ideological, cultural, and political ambitions.
