Pakistan's Senate panel discusses Afghan ties, terrorism concerns, and Iran incident

The Senate Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs met on Monday at Parliament House under the chairmanship of Senator Irfan Siddiqui to discuss Pakistan’s foreign policy and regional security concerns.

Special Representative for Afghanistan Sadiq Khan gave a closed-door, in-camera briefing on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations. Officials expressed concern over the rising incidents of terrorism in Pakistan and the continued use of Afghan soil by militants.

Foreign Ministry officials also briefed the committee on Pakistan’s ties with Iran and the recent killing of eight Pakistani nationals in the country.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Senator Irfan Siddiqui said that relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan were improving. He quoted Sadiq Khan as saying that high-level visits were being planned soon to revive bilateral talks.

Khan also told the committee that Pakistan had seriously raised the issue of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its sponsorship with the Afghan government. He said various TTP groups operate independently with separate commands.

Senator Siddiqui added that Pakistan’s position on the issue is now being acknowledged internationally.

Committee members agreed to continue the detailed briefing on Pakistan-Afghanistan relations in the next meeting. They decided that the matter should be addressed at the parliamentary level to ensure broader ownership and more effective policy outcomes.

The Foreign Office also briefed the committee on the recent killing of eight Pakistanis in Iran. According to Senator Siddiqui, the victims were from Bahawalpur.

“The Foreign Office is in contact with Iranian authorities and is arranging for the repatriation of the bodies,” Siddiqui said. He added that the Iranian government had condemned the killings and that high-level contacts were expected soon.

During the meeting, the Senate committee approved the "Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (Implementation) Bill 2025."

Senator Sherry Rehman proposed amendments, including the formation of a central authority under the bill. She raised concerns over the absence of provincial representation in the proposed authority.

“If there is an objection to the authority, what will be the solution?” Rehman asked. Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch responded that no province was expected to object.

The committee approved the legislation after instructing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide a draft of the rules to be framed under the bill within 30 days.