Pakistan withdrew planned operation in Afghanistan after Qatar intervened: Deputy PM Dar

Pakistan halted a planned counter-terrorism operation inside Afghanistan after Qatar and Turkey intervened to mediate between Islamabad and Kabul, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Saturday.

Dar told reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that Qatar had remained in “hourly” contact as tensions rose. “They were probably aware of our planned kinetic operation and kept reaching out for mediation,” he said. He added that the effort collapsed when the Taliban “declined to soften their stance,” prompting mediators to withdraw.

Dar announced that he had been elected Chair of the ECO Ministerial Council for a two-year term, with Pakistan set to host the next ministerial meeting.

Gaza peacekeeping stance

On the Gaza crisis, Dar said Pakistan had proposed a UN-mandated peacekeeping mechanism but rejected any role in disarming Hamas. “Pakistan’s forces will never be used for such a purpose,” he said.

He clarified that while Pakistan is ready to contribute troops to a peacekeeping force, the mandate must clearly distinguish between peacekeeping and enforcement. “Our job is peacekeeping, not peace enforcement. We are ready to contribute, but the decision depends on the force’s mandate and terms of reference,” he added.

Dar also noted that if the mission included disarming Hamas, other countries, including Indonesia, had expressed reservations.

Busy international engagements

The deputy prime minister said Pakistan’s recent visits to Russia, Belgium and Bahrain reflected a shift in how the country is perceived internationally, crediting improved diplomatic outreach to the civil-military leadership, including Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir.

At the SCO Heads of Government meeting in Moscow, Dar proposed settling regional trade in local currencies and backed plans for an ECO Bank. He said 11 decisions were approved at the summit.

He said Pakistan used a Brussels forum - attended by representatives of 64 countries - to push for stronger ties with the EU. Islamabad signed an MoU with Hungary for 400 scholarships and an agreement with Slovenia for political consultations. Dar also held meetings with several European foreign ministers.

Tensions with Kabul

Dar said Pakistan had repeatedly asked the Taliban administration to curb cross-border militant activity, adding that more than 4,000 Pakistani soldiers had been killed since 2021.

He said Iran, Turkey, Qatar and Russia had all offered to help mediate but added that Islamabad had seen “no cooperation” from Kabul. “We cannot compromise the dignity of 240 million Pakistanis,” he said, while emphasizing that diplomacy remained the only way forward.

Despite security concerns, Pakistan will restore UN-requested humanitarian food shipments to Afghanistan. “I have spoken to the army chief and will speak to the prime minister. We will allow humanitarian supplies purely on humanitarian grounds,” he said.