Pakistan’s Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif has said Islamabad will continue to launch attacks against Afghanistan as part of a new military operation aimed at countering terrorism.

In an interview with BBC, Asif said Pakistan was targeting groups which Pakistan accuses of carrying out attacks on security forces and civilians, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) group.

Islamabad has in the past accused Afghanistan of harboring groups such as TTP. However, the ruling Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan has repeatedly said it will not allow any group to threaten the security of another country from Afghanistan.

The IEA has also described the strikes as violations of its sovereignty.

“It’s correct that we have been carrying out operations in Afghanistan, and we will continue to do so. We won’t serve them with cake and pastries. If attacked, we’ll attack back,” Asif told BBC.

In addition he said Pakistan did not forewarn the IEA of impending strikes. “This would eliminate the element of surprise. Why should we tell them, ‘get ready, we are coming’?”

The IEA meanwhile responded by saying the statement was “irresponsible”, BBC reported.

Asif went on to say the IEA has been reluctant to take action against the TTP, despite Islamabad’s requests.

This comes after Pakistan’s recent announcement of a renewed military crackdown to curb violence and attacks in the country.

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International envoys raised concerns about restrictions on women and girls in Afghanistan during meetings with the Islamic Emirate in Qatar, United Nations’ political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo said on Monday.

“Running through all the discussions was the deep international concern – from special envoys and from me – about the ongoing and serious restrictions on women and girls,” DiCarlo said in a statement.

“Afghanistan cannot return to the international fold, or fully develop economically and socially, if it is deprived of the contributions and potential of half its population,” she added.

The two-day, U.N.-led meeting was the first of its kind attended by the IEA.

Meanwhile, US State Department said US envoys participated in the meeting after receiving assurances from the UN that the discussion would meaningfully address human rights, particularly the plight of women and girls, and that there would be opportunities for engagement with Afghan women and civil society.

US State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel said that US envoy Thomas West made clear that the primary reason private banks have reservations about doing more business in Afghanistan is reputational, and that it is rooted in the IEA’s human rights conduct.

“We know that the Taliban (IEA) often complains about sanctions, but given the broad general license issued by the Treasury Department, relief organizations as well as businesses have the leeway they need to support the Afghan people,” he said.

Russian envoy to UN, Vasily Nebenzya, reiterated that the world should recognize the fact that IEA is running Afghanistan.

“Taliban is de facto authorities on Afghanistan, and we’ve been saying consistently that you have to recognize this fact and deal with them as such. Because whether you like it or not, but this movement is running the country now. And you cannot simply ignore that,” he said.

Envoys have raised concern about women’s rights in Afghanistan, despite IEA saying it is an internal issue.

IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid who led the delegation in Doha, says that women’s rights issue will be resolved with time.

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UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo said on Tuesday after meeting with members of Afghanistan’s civil society that there “really is a need to build trust on all sides”.

Addressing a press conference after her meeting, she said it was important to have dialogue “that’s built on honesty”.

“It’s got to be based on principles, those of the UN Charter, and various human rights treaties that Afghanistan is a party to.”

She said: “We are still at the beginning of this process.”

According to her there was a need for everyone to be patient and realistic.

“It’s a process based on the independent that the UN Security Council recognized last November; the assessment calls for a more coordinated and structured process, with clear conditions and expectations from all sides.

“It also calls for a principled, step-for-step approach with a clear understanding of the outcomes and commitments from all sides.

“Human rights and especially the rights of women and girls , and inclusion of all members of society will continue to be an integral part of our discussions.”

In terms of moving forward, DiCarlo said there had been a discussion in Monday’s meeting with special envoys and the Islamic Emirate on the possibility of establishing smaller working groups to discuss key issues.

“We are continuing that discussion on how to proceed forward,” she said.

Once again she reiterated that this process was in its early stages and would need time and patience.

“Really, our approach has one goal. And that’s helping all the people of Afghanistan.”

DiCarlo’s meeting with civil society representatives not part of the official agenda. Contrary to earlier reports that no envoys from foreign countries had attended this meeting, DiCarlo said there “had been a fair number of member states” at the meeting.

She pointed out attendance had been “optional”.

Asked whether civil society representatives were upset at having been sidelined from the 3rd Doha meeting she said: “Obviously, civil society, many would have like to be at the meeting but they were pleased to have the opportunity to speak with some of the envoys.”

DiCarlo was also asked why such the two-day meeting and the meeting with Afghan civil society representatives had been so shrouded in secrecy; and why the identities of the civil society members were being withheld.
In answer, she put it down to the UN “respecting the privacy” of individuals and that UN meetings are closed events.

She did however say the international community does feel that Afghanistan is not abiding by its international obligations.
However, at the very end of the two-day meeting, mention was made that eventually there would be a need for an “intra-Afghan dialogue”.

“What we are doing is not an intra-Afghan dialogue right now. We are just going through issues at this point; and we want to get various perspectives.

“Let’s be perfectly honest, the citizens and the de facto authorities are not ready for sitting down at the table with each other. At least they weren’t for this past meeting,” she said.

The two-day UN-led Doha meeting was the third of its kind but the first one that the Islamic Emirate attended.

However, representatives of Afghan civil societies had been barred from attending the event. Instead, DiCarlo and some foreign envoys met with them in a separate meeting on Tuesday.

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