ISLAMABAD: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said this week that Washington has heard Pakistan’s concerns of “terrorist” attacks emanating from Afghanistan, stressing that the US was open to playing a “productive role” to reduce tensions between both sides.

Pakistan has witnessed increasing militant attacks in its northwestern and southwestern provinces, both bordering Afghanistan, over the past couple of years. Pakistan says the Afghan Taliban’s takeover of Kabul in August 2021 emboldened militants based in Afghanistan to carry out attacks openly against Pakistan. Afghanistan denies this.

Pakistan has carried out cross-border strikes on Afghanistan’s cities, including Kabul, saying it targets militant hideouts in response to attacks on its soil. The move has triggered cross-border clashes between both strikes. Afghanistan denies Pakistan’s allegations, saying that its soil is not used for militant attacks.

Speaking at the G20 foreign ministers’ conference in Atlanta on Saturday, Rubio said Washington has heard Pakistan’s concerns about “terrorist” attacks originating from Afghanistan.

“They [Pakistan] feel as if the Taliban has not done enough to constrain those attacks, and they’ve taken action against it,” Rubio said.

“We obviously have heard those concerns on their part. We obviously don’t want them to be targeted for terrorism. So, if there’s a productive role for us to play, we would play it.”

The US official pointed out that Washington doesn’t “necessarily have the closest relationship with the Taliban,” but said that it has seen some of those attacks take place that Islamabad has pointed to.

“We’re against terrorism, no matter where it emanates from and who it targets,” he said.

’NORMAL RELATIONS’

Separately, Pakistan’s information ministry said on Saturday that the Afghan government’s refusal to address cross-border “terrorism” is the main obstacle in restoration of “normal relations” between Kabul and Islamabad.

The information ministry was responding to a video statement from Afghan government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid, who said efforts from mediating countries and Kabul had failed to resolve tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Speaking to an Afghan media outlet, Mujahid had said that Islamabad lacks the “necessary readiness” to peacefully resolve its disputes with Kabul.

“The Taliban regime’s persistent refusal to address terrorism remains the principal obstacle to normal relations,” Pakistan’s information ministry said.

“Shifting blame, making hollow assurances and questioning Pakistan’s policies will neither resolve the crisis nor absolve Kabul of its responsibilities.”

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Pakistan says around 4,700 of its nationals have been killed in over three years in militant attacks that originated in Afghanistan. Kabul denies this.

The information ministry warned that “terrorism” is a red line for Pakistan and the security of its citizens is “non-negotiable.”

“Pakistan reserves the right to take all necessary measures, in accordance with international law, to eliminate threats to its national security, wherever they originate,” he said.

“Kabul must recognize that the responsibility for addressing these threats rests squarely with the Afghan Taliban regime. Pakistan’s resolve to protect its people must never be mistaken for weakness.”