Sergei Shoigu, Secretary of the Russian National Security Council, says the situation in Afghanistan will be one of the main topics at the upcoming International Security Conference in Moscow. The event is scheduled to take place late next month with representatives from over 150 countries in attendance.

According to Russia’s TASS news agency, Shoigu stated that the Russian Security Council intends to explore ways to enhance security cooperation with countries referred to as the “Global Majority” or the “Global South and East” during the conference.

Shoigu noted that Afghanistan alongside issues such as the situation in the Middle East and Syria remains a top foreign policy priority for Russia.

“Security issues in the post-Soviet space, including Afghanistan, as well as the development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation with neighboring countries, especially through platforms like the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be major points of discussion,” he said.

The conference is set to take place on the 27th, 28th, and 29th of next month in the Russian capital.

As part of its efforts to strengthen security ties, the Russian Security Council will also hold meetings with the national security secretaries of countries in the CSTO, BRICS, and the SCO.

This conference comes shortly after Moscow removed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan from its list of banned organizations. Following that decision, Zamir Kabulov, Russia’s special envoy for Afghanistan, visited Kabul and held talks with officials from the Islamic Emirate on Russia-Afghanistan relations.

Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that terrorism is being exported from Afghanistan into Pakistan. In a meeting held in response to recent Indian accusations regarding Islamabad’s role in a deadly attack in Kashmir, he stated that many terrorist attacks on Pakistani soil originate from Afghanistan and are accompanied by “clear Indian footprints.”

“Terrorism is being exported to Pakistan, and everything that originates from Afghanistan or happens in Balochistan clearly bears India’s fingerprints,” said Asif.

He emphasized that Pakistan is prepared to defend itself against any external threat, including terrorism.

He also claimed that Pakistan has been on the front lines of the fight against terrorism for years.

However, following this meeting, Asif admitted in an interview with a British media outlet that successive Pakistani governments have supported terrorist groups over the past three decades.

Following a deadly attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of Indian-administered Kashmir, 26 tourists were killed and 17 others injured.

Meanwhile, experts believe that Afghanistan’s interests should be kept away from regional conflicts, and that the Islamic Emirate should not allow Afghanistan to become a battleground for a proxy war between India and Pakistan.

So far, the Islamic Emirate has not commented on Khawaja Asif’s remarks, but it had previously linked insecurity in Pakistan to internal issues within that country.

IEA has repeatedly emphasized that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against any other country.

Pakistan’s State Minister for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry has confirmed that Pakistan has set a June 30 deadline for registered Afghan nationals, including Proof of Registration (PoR) holders, to voluntarily return to Afghanistan.

“After this, he said that formal deportation procedures will begin. Afghan refugees were and remain our guests. They are being sent back with full dignity and respect,” he told Geo News.

Pakistan is currently deporting illegal immigrants and Afghan Citizen Card holders, with thousands returning to their country daily.

Meanwhile, UNHCR’s spokesperson Qaisar Khan Afridi stressed that deportations must be voluntary, not forced.

Afridi also highlighted that the UNHCR has received complaints of arrests in parts of Punjab, even involving some documented Afghan refugees.

However, Chaudhry categorically denied such incidents, stating that no such case has been officially reported and that previous allegations turned out to be fake news upon verification.

He clarified that Afghan refugees who fail to leave within the stated deadlines are not immediately deported, but are first notified, and then taken to refugee holding centres where they are provided food, shelter, security, medical aid and travel facility.

“This is a structured, humane process. There is no chaos. Our hospitality has always been there for Afghan citizens,” Chaudhry emphasised.