Fazlur Rehman Calls for Dialogue-Based Policy with Afghanistan

DID Press: Pakistan’s Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has called on Islamabad to abandon confrontational policies and adopt a strategy of dialogue and reconciliation with Afghanistan to improve regional stability.

Speaking in the Pakistani parliament, Fazlur Rehman urged Islamabad to apply the same diplomatic principles it advocates in resolving other regional tensions, including between Iran and the United States, to its relations with Afghanistan.

He criticized security strategies based on cross-border military operations and airstrikes, questioning whether such measures have effectively reduced militant attacks inside Pakistan. He called for a policy shift focused on long-term stability in Afghanistan.

Fazlur Rehman stressed that stability in Afghanistan is not only beneficial for Afghans but is also a strategic necessity for Pakistan’s own security, warning that continued instability could have wider regional consequences.

He also referred to historical cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan during critical periods, including the 1965 war with India, arguing that closer ties between Kabul and Islamabad could help reduce security challenges and strengthen regional peace.

The remarks come amid prolonged border closures and halted trade between the two countries, which have resulted in significant economic losses on both sides.