Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan has said that Pakistan will not compromise on national security in its trade and diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan, declaring terrorism originating from Afghan soil “unacceptable.”

In a strong statement on Pakistan-Afghanistan trade relations, Jam Kamal said peace, commerce, and dialogue were conditional on the elimination of terrorism.

He stressed that militants using Afghan territory must be stopped, adding that Pakistan has been raising its concerns for years with supporting evidence.

The minister said that resolving the issue of terrorism was essential before any engagement at any level, warning that recent months had seen a worrying rise in militant attacks.

“Pakistan supports dialogue and trade, but security remains our top priority,” he said.

He added that progress in other areas would not be possible as long as terrorists continued to find safe havens.

Jam Kamal reiterated that Pakistan’s sovereignty and national security were paramount, stressing that meaningful improvement in bilateral relations would remain difficult without eliminating terrorism.