CDF Munir briefs US delegation on challenges Pakistan faced during Afghan conflict

ISLAMABAD: Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Asim Munir has shared Pakistan’s perspective on the security dynamics that shaped the conflict and highlighted the challenges faced by Pakistan during the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan with a visiting US delegation, the military’s media wing said on Monday.

According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the field marshal shared the perspective during a meeting with a delegation of the US Afghanistan War Commission, led by its Co-Chairs Shamila N Chaudhary and Dr Colin F Jackson, who called on him at the General Headquarters (GHQ), Rawalpindi.

CDF Munir underscored the importance of incorporating the regional perspective and Islamabad’s experience in assessing the strategic, diplomatic and operational dimensions of the conflict.

The delegation is undertaking a review of the United States’ 20-year engagement in Afghanistan.

“Discussions covered matters of mutual interest including Pakistan’s support, the regional security environment and developments in Afghanistan, with focus on perspectives relevant to the commission’s work,” read the statement.

The visiting team also acknowledged Pakistan’s longstanding role and sacrifices during the conflict in Afghanistan and appreciated its continued contribution to regional peace and stability.

Pakistan has witnessed a sharp rise in cross-border terrorist incidents, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, since the Afghan Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Islamabad has repeatedly urged Kabul to prevent its territory from being used by militant organisations to carry out attacks inside Pakistan.

Islamabad maintains that the Afghan Taliban authorities have failed to take effective action against groups responsible for attacks on Pakistani security forces and civilians.