Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar told a session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Foreign Ministers that Afghanistan-based militant networks, including the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), remain active and continue to operate with what he described as insufficient action from the Afghan Taliban to rein them in.

Addressing the session alongside counterparts from other SCO member states, Dar said the persistence of these networks on Afghan soil posed a serious and direct threat to Pakistan's security. On the sidelines of the gathering, he also held a separate meeting with China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, where the two discussed the rising threat of terrorism in the region. Dar pressed for decisive action against groups he named specifically the TTP, the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and the Islamic State–Khorasan Province (ISKP).

Dar told the meeting that Pakistan had recorded more than 560 terrorist attacks so far this year, resulting in the deaths of several thousand Pakistani citizens. He said the use of Afghan territory to stage attacks against Pakistan was an issue the Afghan Taliban needed to urgently address, and warned that Islamabad was prepared to respond decisively against both the TTP and, if necessary, the Afghan Taliban's continued tolerance of these groups.

The foreign minister paid tribute to the sacrifices of Pakistan's security forces and reaffirmed the government's commitment to peace and regional stability, saying Islamabad continues to prefer dialogue and respect for sovereignty as a path forward wherever possible.

He also pointed to Pakistan's role as a mediator between Iran and the United States, referencing rounds of talks hosted in Islamabad in April and June 2026 that culminated in what he called the historic "Islamabad Declaration." Dar described the outcome as a step toward sustainable peace, stability, and mutual benefit for the wider region.

Dar closed by saying Pakistan remains alert to the challenges it faces and will pursue a peaceful resolution to regional tensions — while making clear the country is prepared to act firmly if diplomatic avenues fail to produce results.

This report is based on statements made by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar at the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting. The Balochistan Dispatch will update this story as further details become available.