DG ISPR Afghan Return Indias Extremism Kashmir
Pakistan Urges Dignified Return of Afghan Refugees, Calls Out India’s Extremist Policies: DG ISPR
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has hosted millions of Afghan refugees for more than four decades, but the country has now made comprehensive arrangements for their dignified and voluntary return, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif said in an interview with a German magazine.
He noted that Pakistan extended the repatriation deadline several times on humanitarian grounds, though the original reasons for their stay — foreign interference and civil war in Afghanistan — no longer exist.
Lt Gen Sharif also raised concerns over U.S. weapons left behind in Afghanistan after the American withdrawal, saying these arms are now being used in terrorist attacks inside Pakistan. Even Washington, he added, has acknowledged the threat of these weapons falling into the wrong hands.
The DG ISPR further said there is credible evidence linking illegal Afghan nationals to terrorism and other serious crimes in the country.
On regional tensions, he pointed to a surge in violent incidents in India, blaming what he called New Delhi’s “increasingly extremist policies.” He said India often misrepresents its internal challenges as external issues, while simultaneously projecting external disputes as internal problems.
Lt Gen Sharif alleged that India is directly involved in terrorist activities inside Pakistan, under state sponsorship, and insisted that Islamabad has shared evidence of Indian Army officers’ involvement with the international community.
Addressing the Kashmir dispute, he urged global powers to step up efforts for a peaceful resolution, while reiterating Pakistan’s firm rejection of all non-state armed groups. “No individual or group other than the state has the authority to declare jihad,” he said, stressing that Pakistan has sacrificed heavily as a frontline state in the war on terror.
Speaking about the conflict with India, referred to as Marka-e-Haq, Lt Gen Sharif said former U.S. President Donald Trump played a significant role in its strategic resolution. He also welcomed Washington’s decision to designate the banned Majid Brigade as a global terrorist organization.
On Pakistan’s foreign relations, he reaffirmed Islamabad’s close partnership with China, calling it both constructive and strategic. He further revealed that several militants killed in recent operations in Balochistan were previously listed among the so-called “missing persons.”
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