Rubio says US open to role on Pakistan’s Afghan terror concerns - The Express Tribune
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a press briefing on Saturday said Washington had "obviously heard" Pakistan's concerns regarding terrorism emanating from Afghan soil, adding that "if there's a productive role for us to play, we'll play it."
"Pakistan is concerned about terrorist attacks that are being sponsored from the territory of Afghanistan," Rubio said, addressing a briefing in Atlanta, Georgia. He added that Islamabad felt "as though the Taliban have not done enough to constrain those attacks and they've taken action against it."
The secretary of state added, "We obviously have heard those concerns on their part, we obviously don't want them to be targeted."
He also noted that Washington didn't "necessarily have the closest relationship with the Taliban," but that "we've heard the concerns that Pakistan has raised and we've seen some of those attacks that they point to."
Rubio concluded, "We're against terrorism no matter where it emanates from and who it targets."
His remarks came amid strained relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan due to recurring cross-border terrorism and security concerns. Islamabad has repeatedly urged the Afghan Taliban administration to prevent terrorist organisations, particularly the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), from using its territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan.
Islamabad has rejected Taliban assurances that Afghan territory would not be used against neighbouring countries, arguing that the ground situation and documented militant activity tell a different story.
Pakistan maintains that the terrorist nexus extended beyond the movement of terrorists across the border to their training, arming and operational support.
Security officials estimate that up to 70% of the Fitna al-Khawarij terrorists infiltrating Pakistan were of Afghan origin. They further claim that the Taliban regime had allowed leftover US and NATO weapons to reach terrorist groups, including Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan.
The security establishment also linked the escalation in attacks to the presence of terrorist infrastructure inside Afghanistan.
In 2026 alone, terrorism emanating from Afghan soil claimed the lives of 1,327 Pakistanis and injured another 2,484, according to figures cited by Pakistani authorities.
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