FM Bilawal assures Muttaqi of Pakistan's 'commitment' to stable Afghanistan

• FM Bilawal holds telephonic conversation with Afghan counterpart.
• "They discussed a range of issues of mutual interest," FO says.
• Call comes after Khawaja Asif warned of attacking TTP sanctuaries.

Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Saturday assured Acting Afghan Minister for Foreign Affairs Amir Khan Muttaqi of Pakistan's commitment to a stable Kabul.

The development came as the foreign minister held a telephonic conversation with his Afghan counterpart, a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

"They discussed a range of issues of mutual interest. The foreign minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan," the statement added.

The call comes after Pakistan witnessed a rise in terrorism and the local authorities blame the Afghan Taliban for not ensuring that their soil isn't used by outlawed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for launching attacks on Islamabad.

In an interview with a US broadcaster, Voice of America, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that the proscribed TTP is still using Afghan soil for launching attacks on Pakistan — especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

“Islamabad has good relations with the ruling Taliban government in Kabul. However, the Afghan authorities have not succeeded in stopping the use of their territory in attacks on Pakistan,” he said.

The top minister also warned the neighbouring nation's rulers that if they were unable to stop anti-Pakistan terrorists from using their soil, Islamabad would be forced to retaliate.

The matter, the federal minister said, had been brought up and discussed in February when a meeting between a high-ranking delegation — including Asif and the ISI DG Lt Gen Nadeem Anjum — and Afghan officials.

"We have communicated to Kabul during our last visit that please, as our neighbours and brothers, whatever is emanating from Afghan soil is your responsibility," he said.

"If that is not done, at some point we’ll have to […] resort to some measures, which will definitely — wherever [terrorists] are, their sanctuaries on Afghan soil — we’ll have to hit them,” he said.

“We’ll have to hit them because we cannot tolerate this situation for long."