Bilawal urges united stance against terrorism amid Afghanistan chaos

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged the federal government to maintain a clear stance against terrorism and violent extremism amid the evolving political situation in Afghanistan.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman said that he hopes that Afghanistan will adopt a democratic framework that ensures individual liberties and human rights in the country.

Shehbaz, Bilawal, others briefed about security situation

When asked about the implications of the emerging political situation in Afghanistan for Pakistan, Bilawal said that the people of Pakistan "do not condone or support terrorism in any way".

"I hope the federal government will act under the auspices of the National Action Plan (NAP) to take a unified stance against terrorism," he noted.

PPP working to make Pakistan a democratic state: Bilawal

Bilawal stated that Pakistan wants a stable and inclusive environment in Afghanistan, which respects people's fundamental rights.

"We are actively monitoring the ongoing situation," he told reporters.

He noted that that there are threats to Pakistan's security, stability, and prosperity. "The situation has not matured yet in Afghanistan. We haven't seen what form of government will emerge, or what the results of the negotiations will be," he explained.

The PPP leader highlighted that Pakistan's fencing initiative along the Afghan border is an important step in ensuring that the country's sovereignty is not compromised and that its soil is not being used for terrorist activities.

The situation has not matured yet in Afghanistan. We haven't seen what form of government will emerge, or what the results of the negotiations will be: Bilawal

The Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the PPP on Monday discussed the rapidly escalating situation in Afghanistan and its implications for neighboring countries.

This meeting was jointly presided over by former president Asif Ali Zardari and Bilawal at the Bilawal House in Islamabad.

In the meeting, the PPP leadership reiterated its support for a democratic, pluralistic and inclusive Afghanistan, saying the party "fully supports and endorses an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned solution to the crisis".

The Taliban took effective control of Afghanistan on Sunday when president Ashraf Ghani fled and the group walked into Kabul with no opposition.

It capped a staggeringly fast rout of all cities in just 10 days, and achieved with relatively little bloodshed, following two decades of war that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

The collapse came after President Joe Biden withdrew US troops, under the belief that the Afghan army -- with billions of dollars in American funding and training -- was strong enough to withstand the Taliban.