Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar has stressed the need for concrete and verifiable action to prevent Afghan soil from being used for terrorism against neighbouring countries, particularly Pakistan.

He was addressing the meeting of the OIC Contact Group on Afghanistan on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

The Deputy Prime Minister expressed serious concern over the presence of terrorist groups inside Afghanistan and recalled the sacrifices being made by Pakistan in combating terrorism.

He highlighted the recent terrorist attack in Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which claimed innocent lives and injured scores of others, as a stark reminder of the grave threat posed by terrorism emanating from the region. He said such attacks underscore the urgent need for concrete action against terrorist groups and their sanctuaries.

Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar urged the Afghan Taliban to honour Afghanistan's international obligations and commitments, end patronage of terrorist groups, lift restrictions on women and girls that are contrary to Islamic principles and norms of Muslim society, promote politically inclusive governance and facilitate the resettlement and integration of Afghan returnees.

He called for adequate international funding for Afghanistan's humanitarian requirements and socio-economic development.

The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan's support for a stable and prosperous Afghanistan at peace with itself and its neighbours.