Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Tuesday called on the Afghan Taliban regime to move out of its "militant mindset" and adopt the approach of a responsible state.
Speaking at a seminar in Islamabad on Afghanistan's situation and progress towards peace, Tarar said that Kabul's circumstances were "highly complex" and required a lasting solution.
"Pakistan believes in peace, dialogue and peaceful coexistence," the minister said, adding that Islamabad had sent several high-level delegations to Afghanistan to help resolve the issue.
He recalled that talks on Afghanistan had also been held in Turkiye's Istanbul and Qatar's Doha.
Relations between the two countries have remained tense in recent years amid persistent terror attacks in Pakistan, which Islamabad says are largely carried out by militant groups operating from Afghanistan.
Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.
Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.
The two neighbouring nations have engaged in border clashes on several occasions in recent months over the terror incidents, which have claimed the lives of civilians and security personnel in Pakistan.
Despite many rounds of talks, both countries failed to reach an agreement to counter cross-border terrorism due to the Afghan Taliban regime's reluctance to take action against militant outfits.
Meanwhile, Tarar maintained that many of the problems facing Afghanistan were the result of a "militant mindset", saying the country had significant potential for promoting trade and regional connectivity.
He said that peace in Afghanistan could help open trade routes between Central Asia and Pakistan, adding that Central Asian states could gain access to warm waters through Afghanistan.
"For peaceful coexistence, we must adopt the principle of live and let others live," Tarar said, adding that only peace could provide the foundation for prosperity.
The information minister also expressed concerns over safe havens for terrorists and members of banned organisations in Afghanistan.
He said that some sections of Afghanistan's population were not being provided opportunities to play a role in economic development.
Tarar said that the Afghan people should be given basic rights and the authority to decide their own future.
Regarding talks with Kabul, Tarar said that Pakistan supported negotiations for an amicable solution to the Afghan issue. "Peace will increase prospects for stability and development across the region."
However, the information minister warned that Pakistan's desire for peace should not be interpreted as weakness.
"Attempts to destabilise Pakistan will be responded to," he said.
