Pakistan Summons Afghan Envoy Over J&K Row

On Saturday, Pakistan summoned the Afghan ambassador in Islamabad to formally convey its “strong reservations” over the recent joint statement issued by New Delhi between India and Afghanistan.

According to a statement by Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the Additional Foreign Secretary (West Asia & Afghanistan) conveyed Islamabad’s objections to the Afghan envoy specifically about references in the joint communiqué that regarded the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir as an integral part of India — a position Pakistan said was “in clear violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions.”

The joint statement, released on October 10 during the Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi’s visit to India, also expressed Afghanistan’s condemnation of a terrorist attack in Pahalgam (Jammu & Kashmir) and reaffirmed a commitment by both nations to combat terrorism emanating from regional countries.

In addition to the Kashmir reference, Pakistan dismissed Muttaqi’s remarks that terrorism is an internal issue of Pakistan, arguing that such statements do not absolve Afghanistan of its responsibilities toward regional peace and stability. The Foreign Office reaffirmed Pakistan’s long-standing role in hosting millions of Afghan nationals and emphasised that while Pakistan remains committed to a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan, it retains the right to regulate the presence of unauthorised foreign nationals within its borders.

The development comes amid broader shifts in South Asia’s geopolitical dynamics, as India deepens its engagement with the Taliban-led Afghan government and as Pakistan contends with growing concerns over cross-border militancy and its strategic posture towards both neighbours.