Neighborhood diplomacy is crucial in mitigating terrorism, says Ambassador Abrar

In addition to directly fighting against terrorism and addressing the root causes, diplomatic engagement with neighboring countries is also a critical component of a comprehensive strategy to combat and mitigate terrorism. It strengthens regional cooperation, improves security measures, disrupts terrorist networks, and presents a united front against terrorist threats.

This was noted by Ambassador (r) Abrar Hussain, vice chairman IPS, who was speaking at a seminar, titled ‘Confronting Terrorism: Strategies for Pakistan in 2024’, held at Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), Lahore, on May 23, 2024. The session was also addressed by Dr Kaleem Imam, former IG, Air Marshal (retd.) Asim Suleiman, president CASS, Air Commodore (retd.) Khalid Iqbal, director CASS, and Muhammad Fayyaz, a security analyst.

Presenting his paper on the ‘Diplomatic Engagement with Neighboring Countries for Mitigating Terrorist Threat’, Abrar Hussain said Pakistan has faced terrorism for over two decades, with some terrorist groups finding refuge in neighboring countries and India supporting terrorism in Pakistan through direct and indirect means. Meanwhile, terrorist attacks in Pakistan have surged since the Taliban’s victory in Afghanistan.

Elaborating on Pakistan’s diplomatic engagement with neighboring countries, he underscored that Pakistan has been seeking cooperation with the Taliban in Kabul to tackle terrorist safe havens, including establishing a joint committee, as agreed in June 2023, to address cross-border attacks. Recently in a telephonic discussion between the two Foreign Ministers, the Taliban regime’s commitment to practical engagement with Pakistan and ensuring lasting peace was reiterated.

With Iran, Pakistan has signed several counter-terrorism agreements and memorandums of understanding (MOUs) to enhance cooperation in combating terrorism and ensuring border security. Similarly, Pakistan has been partnering with China to combat terrorism through multilateral and bilateral security cooperation. He also underscored Pakistan’s role in regional organizations like SAARC and the SCO’s Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS) to enhance regional security and disrupt terrorist networks.