Pakistan has reiterated that it remained alarmingly concerned over the loads of weapons left behind by the withdrawing US forces in Afghanistan 2021, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.
Addressing his weekly news briefing in Islamabad on Friday, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan maintained that these sophisticated American weapons are being used by terrorists for attacks inside Pakistan.
Shafqat Ali Khan said they have impressed upon international community and Afghan authorities to address this issue.
The spokesperson said Pakistan desires friendly cooperative relationship with Afghanistan but the stumbling block in the way of progress is sanctuaries enjoyed by terrorists on Afghan territory. He said Pakistan will continue to pursue various channels of communications with the Afghan authorities to address this matter.
As regards the closure of Torkham border, the spokesperson said operational constraints forced Pakistan to take this action. He mentioned that the Afghan side is trying to construct a border post on our side unilaterally. He said Pakistan has urged the Afghan authorities to resolve such issues through bilateral mechanisms such as Joint Coordination Committee meeting instead of resorting to unilateral actions. He hoped the matter will be resolved through dialogue.
Responding to a question, Shafqat Ali Khan said F-16 oversight program is a regular feature of Pakistan-US defence collaboration. He said Pakistan welcomes its continuation. He said this is a robust and dense relationship, expressing Pakistan's commitment to carrying this relationship forward.
The spokesperson said eight Pakistanis, who were staying illegally in the US, have returned home yesterday.
Reporter Anwar Abbas