Regarding Afghanistan, Dar expressed Pakistan’s desire for better bilateral relations but acknowledged the recent terrorist attack on Chinese citizens in Pakistan, planned from across the border, as a significant concern. He stressed that this attack aimed to damage Pakistan-China relations and urged Afghanistan to expel the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for the incidents.
While Dar did not directly mention India, he has previously called for reopening business and trade relations through confidence-building measures and dialogues. His stance indicates a willingness to de-escalate and normalize relations with India. Dar reiterated the importance of better relations with India and Afghanistan during the committee briefing, emphasizing it as a key aspect of Pakistan’s foreign policy.
Experts suggest that Dar’s stance indicates a softer approach from the Shehbaz Sharif-led government towards neighboring countries. However, they note that the government’s foreign policy may face resistance from the powerful military establishment. Senior political analyst Javed Siddique pointed out that relations with India are strained due to India’s refusal to reverse its decision on Article 370 concerning Kashmir and Narendra Modi’s clear stance against engaging with Pakistan.
Siddique also mentioned that the military, currently offensive against the TTP, shows no intent to engage with India without resolving the Kashmir dispute. Therefore, the current government’s desire to engage with India and Afghanistan might not receive support from the military establishment.
